Labyrinthine
adjective /ˌlæbəˈrɪnθɪn/ — Complex in a way that makes you feel lost.
Definition
Of, resembling, or characteristic of a labyrinth; highly intricate and confusing; bewilderingly complex.
Beyond the definition
The original labyrinth was built by Daedalus to contain the Minotaur — a maze with no clear way out. Labyrinthine isn't just 'complicated'. It carries the specific disorientation of not knowing which way leads forward, of effort that doesn't resolve into progress.
Origin & history
From Greek labyrinthos — the structure built by Daedalus in Crete to imprison the Minotaur. The word's origins are pre-Greek, possibly from an Aegean root meaning 'double-axe'.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The labyrinthine bureaucracy swallowed their application for months without trace.
She navigated the labyrinthine alleys of the old city without a map, trusting instinct.
His reasoning was brilliant but labyrinthine — you could follow it, but not follow him back.
Synonyms
intricate, maze-like, convoluted, tortuous, complex
Antonyms
straightforward, simple, direct
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Complex maze walls
An adult stands before a complex, towering, stone-walled maze that looms high above them, creating a confusing path.
The maze is literal and metaphorical of the labyrinthine: a structure that is bewilderingly complex and intricate. It illustrates the feeling of being faced with a challenge that has many winding, confusing turns and no immediately visible, direct solution.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration