entangle

verb

en·​tan·​gle in-ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce entangle (audio)
en-
entangled; entangling; entangles
Synonyms of entanglenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to wrap or twist together : interweave
b
: ensnare
2
a
: to involve in a perplexing or troublesome situation
became entangled in a lawsuit
b
: to make complicated
the story is entangled with legends
entangler
in-ˈtaŋ-g(ə-)lər How to pronounce entangle (audio)
en-
noun

Synonyms of entangle

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Examples of entangle in a Sentence

in the process of taking down the Christmas tree, we managed to entangle the string of lights into a hopeless mess of wires the young runaway gradually became entangled in a web of lies
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.
Three minutes into the second quarter Fox received a Flagrant Foul 1 for tossing Chet Holmgren to the court after they became entangled in the paint. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 The companies are already financially entangled, including a $2 billion investment by Tesla in SpaceX, Tesla’s Monday proxy statement confirmed. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 Choose solid objects over anything with netting, strings, ropes, ribbons or other materials in which an animal could become entangled. — Katie Koschalk, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026 Under constant threats from above, residents live largely in a spider’s world, with roads, sidewalks and gas stations draped in netting to entangle drones. — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for entangle

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French entangler — more at tangle entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of entangle was in the 15th century

Rhymes for entangle

See All Rhymes for entangle

Browse Nearby Words

entamoeba
entangle
entanglement
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Cite this Entry

“Entangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entangle. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

entangle

verb
en·​tan·​gle in-ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce entangle (audio)
1
: to make tangled or confused
2
: to involve in a tangle or a confusing or difficult situation
entanglement
-mənt
noun
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