You know that feeling when you're trying to describe two things that just can't be pulled apart? Maybe it’s your fingers locked with someone else’s, or perhaps it’s the way the plot of a Christopher Nolan movie gets so messy you can't tell what's a dream and what’s real. You want to use the word "intertwined," but then you pause. Does it sound too formal? Too poetic? Too much like a high school English essay?
Honestly, most people overthink it. They treat "intertwined" like a fancy piece of china they only bring out for special occasions. But it's actually a workhorse word. It’s versatile.
Learning how to use intertwined in a sentence isn't just about grammar; it’s about rhythm. It’s about knowing when to be literal—like describing roots in a garden—and when to be metaphorical, like describing how your Netflix password is still linked to your ex's account three years later.
The Literal Side: Physical Things Getting Tangled
Let’s start with the basics. If you can touch it, and it’s twisted together, it’s intertwined.
Think about a vine. If you go out into a forest and see two different types of ivy climbing up a single oak tree, their stems aren't just touching. They are woven. "The thick vines were so tightly intertwined around the trunk that it was impossible to tell where one plant ended and the other began." That’s a classic, literal usage. It paints a picture.
It works for textures, too. Wools, yarns, or even electrical wires. Ever looked behind your TV stand? It’s a nightmare. "A chaotic mess of HDMI cables and power cords lay intertwined on the floor, defying any attempt at cable management."
You see? It’s descriptive but grounded.
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Physical intimacy uses this word a lot, too. It’s a staple of romance novels, but you can use it casually. "We sat on the porch, fingers intertwined, watching the sun go down." It’s softer than "holding hands." It implies a deeper connection, a sort of locking-in.
Why Metaphors Make the Word Shine
This is where the word really earns its keep. Most of the time, when we use intertwined in a sentence, we aren't talking about actual ropes or vines. We’re talking about ideas, histories, or lives.
Take politics and money. They’re a mess. "In many modern democracies, corporate interests and legislative goals are so deeply intertwined that transparency becomes a secondary concern." It sounds smart, right? It suggests that you can't pull the money out without ripping the whole system apart.
Or consider your own life. Think about your best friend from childhood. Your memories aren't separate from theirs. "Our childhoods were so intertwined that I sometimes forget which stories actually happened to me and which ones happened to him."
It’s about dependency. If two things are intertwined, changing one usually messes with the other.
Does it Have to be "With"?
People often trip up on the preposition. Usually, it's "intertwined with."
- "Success is often intertwined with luck, though we prefer to call it hard work."
- "The fate of the polar bear is directly intertwined with the rate of Arctic ice melt."
But you can also use it as a standalone adjective or a past participle. "The two companies have become intertwined over years of joint ventures." You don't always need the "with" if the context already established who the players are.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Being Cringe
Look, we've all seen writing that tries too hard. If you use "intertwined" every third paragraph, your reader is going to roll their eyes. It’s a "flavor" word. Use it when you want to emphasize complexity.
Don't use it for simple things.
If you say, "I intertwined my socks," people are going to look at you weird. You balled your socks. You didn't weave them into a complex tapestry. Keep the "intertwined" for when there is actual weaving or a deep, complicated connection.
Also, watch out for "intertwined together."
This is a redundancy trap. The "inter-" prefix already means "between" or "among." Adding "together" at the end is like saying "ATM machine" or "PIN number." It’s repetitive. Just say they are intertwined. Period.
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The Science of Intertwining (Kinda)
If you want to get really nerdy, look at quantum mechanics. Physicists talk about "entanglement," but "intertwined" is often used in layman's terms to describe how particles can affect one another across vast distances.
In biology, we talk about the double helix of DNA. Two strands, intertwined in a spiral. It’s the very blueprint of life. Without that specific, twisted structure, the data wouldn't be stable.
Even in economics, there’s the "Intertwined World" theory, though that’s more of a buzzword for globalization. The idea is that a factory closing in Ohio might be directly intertwined with a shipping delay in Shanghai. Everything is a web.
Putting it All Together: Examples You Can Actually Use
Sometimes you just need a template. Here are a few ways to drop intertwined in a sentence without sounding like a robot.
- For Relationships: "Their lives became so intertwined after the first year of marriage that they started finishing each other's sentences."
- For History: "The history of the United States is inextricably intertwined with the history of the steam engine."
- For Nature: "Look at how the roots of these two trees are intertwined; they're actually sharing nutrients."
- For Business: "The CEO's personal reputation was so intertwined with the company's stock price that when he got in trouble, the shares plummeted."
Notice how the sentence length changes? Short. Long. Punchy. Flowing. That’s how humans talk.
Actionable Steps for Better Writing
If you want to master this word and others like it, don't just memorize definitions. Context is king.
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- Read more fiction. Seriously. Watch how authors like Toni Morrison or Cormac McCarthy describe physical objects and abstract feelings. They use "intertwined" to create mood, not just to fill space.
- Audit your own work. Go back to the last thing you wrote. Did you use "linked" or "connected"? Try swapping one out for "intertwined" and see if it adds depth. If it feels heavy, change it back.
- Focus on the "Why." Don't just say things are intertwined. Explain why they can't be separated. Is it love? Is it a legal contract? Is it gravity?
- Vary your synonyms. If you've used "intertwined" once, try "woven," "enmeshed," or "tangled" for the next one.
Start by looking for connections in your daily life. Is your morning coffee routine intertwined with your ability to be a decent human being? Probably. Write that down. Practice. The more you use it in low-stakes situations, the more natural it will feel when you’re writing something that actually matters.
Check your prepositions—usually "with" or "within"—and avoid the "together" redundancy. Most importantly, make sure the connection you're describing is actually complex enough to deserve the word. If it's just two things sitting next to each other, they aren't intertwined. They're just neighbors. Reserve the word for the knots that are hard to untie.