Intricate and complicate

Question

What's the difference between intricate and complicate?

Elanguest · Accepted Answer

Intricate is an adjective and complicate is a verb. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' alt='Emotion: wink'/>

Messier42 · Answer

Meaning wise? Intricate and complicated

Mister Micawber · Answer

'Complicated' suggests difficulty; 'intricate' suggests beauty.

Messier42 · Answer

Intricate things are complex and have many elements: they're not simple. Think of the intricate wiring of a computer's motherboard, or the intricate plot of a movie that you have a hard time following.

I couldn't find any beauty things in here. It sounded more like complicated to me.

KJinCali79 · Answer

Intricate is more closely related to elaborate, while complicated is more closely related to complex.

Sometimes complicated and intricate can be used synonomously, but intricate has other meanings, especially as it relates to "elaborate details" which is viewed in a more favorable way.

For example, "Buildings of the Beaux-Arts architectural style feature many ornate and intricate designs." If you used "complicated" in that sentence it would imply that the designs are misunderstood and not pleasing.

The difference has a lot to do with connotation.

"The machine has a complicated design." -- the design is difficult to understand, explain, or use.
"The machine has an intricate design." -- the design has many complex interrelating parts, but is not necessarily difficult to understand or use.

Messier42 · Answer

Very clear! Thank you!

Intricate and complicate

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