tangle

1 of 3

verb

tan·​gle ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce tangle (audio)
tangled; tangling ˈtaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tangle (audio)
Synonyms of tangle

transitive verb

1
: to unite or knit together in intricate confusion
2
: to involve so as to hamper, obstruct, or embarrass
3
: to seize and hold in or as if in a snare : entrap

intransitive verb

1
: to become entangled
2
: to interact in a contentious or conflicting way

tangle

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a matted, twisted mass : snarl
2
a
: a complicated or confused state or condition
b
: a state of perplexity or complete bewilderment
3
: a serious altercation : dispute
4
: neurofibrillary tangle

tangle

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a large seaweed

Synonyms of tangle

Relevance

Verb

Noun (2)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tangle in a Sentence

Verb This fishing line tangles easily. was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone Noun (2) my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Reese was tangled up in the paint with the Fire's Carla Leite as Dream guard Rhyne Howard made a 3-pointer from the right corner during the fourth quarter. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Because trunk cargo nets have large holes, pointed items such as fishing poles, bats, or rackets can get tangled. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Bell Jar Tracing the tangle of a new job in New York City and the simultaneous onrush of clinical depression, The Bell Jar brings the interior world of central character Esther Greenwood into stunning relief. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 Penske has designed tracks through city blocks, but never through both federal and municipal grounds with a tangle of buildings that include the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the National Archives. — Adam Kilgore, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tangle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tanglen, tagilen, probably short for entanglen, from Anglo-French entagler, entangler to prosecute (for), implicate

Noun (2)

of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse thǫngull tangle, thang seaweed

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun (1)

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1540, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tangle was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing tangle

Rhymes for tangle

See All Rhymes for tangle

Browse Nearby Words

Tangkhul
tangle
tangleberry
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tangle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tangle

1 of 2 verb
tan·​gle ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce tangle (audio)
tangled; tangling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tangle (audio)
1
: to make or become involved so as to complicate or confuse : be or become entangled
2
: to twist or become twisted together into a mass hard to straighten out again

tangle

2 of 2 noun
1
: a tangled twisted mass (as of vines or hairs) confusedly woven together : snarl
2
: a complicated or confused state or condition

Medical Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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