intricate text

Meanings

1. 1phrasecountable or uncountable

   written material that is very detailed and complicated, with many connected parts

   Grammar: Can be used as a countable phrase (an intricate text) or uncountable (intricate text).

   Patterns

   • an intricate text
   • intricate text about something
   • full of intricate text

   The legal document was an intricate text that took hours to understand.

   Students often struggle with intricate texts that use long, complex sentences.

   The website's instructions were an intricate text full of technical terms.

2. 2phrasecountable or uncountableliterary

   a piece of writing that is carefully made with many small, decorative details

   Grammar: Used when talking about the style or design of writing rather than its difficulty.

   Patterns

   • an intricate text
   • intricate text design

   The medieval manuscript was an intricate text decorated with gold leaf.

   She admired the intricate text on the old certificate.

Common combinations

an intricate text

The professor assigned an intricate text on economic theory.

intricate text structure

The poem's intricate text structure makes it hard to translate.

full of intricate text

The contract was full of intricate text that confused the client.

Synonyms and how they differ

complex text

More common and neutral; 'intricate' adds the idea of many small interconnected parts.

complicated text

Often suggests difficulty rather than detailed design; 'intricate' is more about detail.

Opposites

Word family

intricate adjective

having many small parts or details

intricately adverb

in a detailed and complicated way

intricacy noun

the quality of being intricate

Commonly confused: intricate text or intrinsic?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “intricate text”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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