I love swapping words when I write because small shifts can change the whole rhythm of a sentence.
Try thinking of 'intertwined' as a family of options rather than a single replacement — 'entwined', 'interwoven', 'interlaced', 'enmeshed', 'braided', or even 'woven together' each carry slightly different colors. For a physical image: "Her hair was entwined with ribbons," feels more delicate than "Her hair was braided with ribbons," which sounds more structured. For abstract uses, "their fates were interwoven" sounds poetic, while "their lives were enmeshed" has a grittier, almost trapped tone.
My practical trick is to pick the synonym that matches the verb’s object and the mood. If you want intimacy and softness, use 'entwined' or 'interwoven'; if you want complexity or confusion, pick 'enmeshed' or 'interlaced'. Toss a couple of options into the sentence and read aloud — that little audition usually reveals which one sings with the rest of the line. I tend to prefer the lyrical bounce of 'interwoven' in scenes about memory, so that’s often where my pen lands.