tangled; tangling
ˈtaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 
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
: a large seaweed
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
Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2025
The revelations further tangle the sequence of events leading to the death of the 26-year-old Lopez.
—Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025
Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
Yet as the novel moves along, and the target chosen for Hyacinth by his anarchist superiors—an unnamed duke—hovers into view, the tangle of motives becomes subtler.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tangle
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Verb
These are our favorite buds that will never, ever get tangled.
—Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2025
The revelations further tangle the sequence of events leading to the death of the 26-year-old Lopez.
—Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
Focus on your waist, not just your weight As the size of a person’s belly grows, studies show the memory center of the brain shrinks and hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s disease can appear — namely beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
Yet as the novel moves along, and the target chosen for Hyacinth by his anarchist superiors—an unnamed duke—hovers into view, the tangle of motives becomes subtler.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Cite this Entry
“Tangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tangle. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tangle
2 of 2 noun1
: a tangled twisted mass (as of vines or hairs) confusedly woven together : snarl
2
: a complicated or confused state or condition
Medical Definition
tangle
noun
tan·gle
ˈtaŋ-gəl
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