Basic Details
Word: Inextricably
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: In a way that cannot be separated or untangled.
Synonyms: inseparably, closely, indissolubly
How to Spell Inextricably
Syllables: in - ex - tri - ca - bly
Tricky part: The middle is tric (from extricate), not trac, and the ending is -ably, not -ibly.
Watch out for: inextricibly, inextracably, inextrickably
Memory tip: To extricate yourself is to free yourself from a trap. In + extric + ably: not able to be freed.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The history of Kolkata is inextricably linked with the river Hooghly.
Example 2: For many families, cricket and Sunday mornings are inextricably bound together.
Example 3: Her name is inextricably tied to the school she founded.
Fun Fact
Tricae, a Latin word for tangles or troubles, is the root of extricate: to extricate something is to get it out of a tangle.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. asociated 2. inextricably 3. interdependant 4. entangeled
a) twisted together with something
b) connected in the mind
c) depending on each other
d) in a way that cannot be separated
Show answer
d) in a way that cannot be separated. Entangled has no e before the l, interdependent ends in -ent, and associated has a double s.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word inextricably as used in the sentence:
In our village, the temple fair is inextricably linked with the memory of its founder.
a) firmly
b) loosely
c) deeply
d) closely
Show answer
b) loosely. Inextricably means so tightly that nothing can separate them, so loosely is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
For many farmers, the success of the harvest is inextricibly tied to the arrival of the monsoon.
a) inextricibly
b) arrival
c) monsoon
d) harvest
Show answer
a) inextricibly. The ending follows -able, as in inextricable, so it is -ably.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Two things that are inextricably linked ____.
a) are easy to pull apart
b) are far apart
c) were never connected
d) cannot be separated
Show answer
d) cannot be separated
2. Which pair is most likely to be described as inextricably connected?
a) a spoon and a road
b) a tree and its roots
c) a pencil and a shoe
d) a cloud and a book
Show answer
b) a tree and its roots
