entangle

verb

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

transitive verb

1
a
: to wrap or twist together : interweave
b
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 noun

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 Humpbacks are also vulnerable to ship strikes and getting entangled in fishing gear off the West Coast. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 Driven by a fascination for violence, he gets entangled in far-right extremist groups at the very opposite of his father’s values. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2024 When animals are caught on hooks or entangled in gear, they often are injured or die, according to NOAA. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 New jets may be a long shot with aid to Ukraine entangled as part of a greater compromise on US immigration policy, which has been opposed by Trump and his allies in Congress. Joseph Ataman, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 Far too often, our representatives entangle the U.S. in foreign affairs and foreign wars with very thin connections to national security, costing American lives and billions of dollars. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 20 Jan. 2024 Executives face the frustrating disconnect between ambition and execution, with teams entangled in competing priorities and internal resistance. Forrester, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Nets installed along beaches to reduce the risk of sharks biting swimmers entangle sharks and other animals, frequently killing them. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Complicating matters, the U.S. military had become entangled in the conflict. Nate Jones, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entangle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near entangle

Cite this Entry

“Entangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entangle. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on entangle

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