Main Entry: ex·tri·cate

Pronunciation: \ˈek-strə-ˌkāt\

Function: transitive verb

Inflected Form(s): ex·tri·cat·ed; ex·tri·cat·ing

Etymology: Latin extricatus, past participle of extricare, from ex- + tricae trifles, perplexities

Date: 1601

1 a archaic : unravel b : to distinguish from a related thing
2 : to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty

— ex·tri·ca·ble \ik-ˈstri-kə-bəl, ek-ˈ, ˈek-(ˌ)\ adjective

— ex·tri·ca·tion \ˌek-strə-ˈkā-shən\ noun

synonyms extricate, disentangle, untangle, disencumber, disembarrass mean to free from what binds or holds back. extricate implies the use of care or ingenuity in freeing from a difficult position or situation <extricated himself from financial difficulties>. disentangle and untangle suggest painstaking separation of a thing from other things <disentangling fact from fiction> <untangle a web of deceit>. disencumber implies a release from something that clogs or weighs down <an article disencumbered of jargon>. disembarrass suggests a release from something that impedes or hinders <disembarrassed herself of her advisers>.