entangle

play

verb en·tan·gle \ in-ˈtaŋ-gəl , en- \

Definition of entangle

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

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entangler

play \in-ˈtaŋ-g(ə-)lər, en-\ noun

See entangle defined for English-language learners

See entangle defined for kids

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 of entangle from the Web

Under that scenario, Trump’s threat to shut down the government over the border wall could entangle the debt ceiling debate.

— jennifer epstein, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Threatens Government Shutdown Over Border Wall Funding," 23 Aug. 2017
Under that scenario, Trump’s threat to shut down the government over the border wall could entangle the debt ceiling debate.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "Trump Threatens Government Shutdown Over Border Wall Funding," 23 Aug. 2017
Since then, Jake, FaZe, and Alissa Violet (who is reportedly currently dating FaZe and is also Jake's ex) have been entangled in a social media war — one that seemed to be never-ending.

— de elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "FaZe Banks Denies Claims That He Assaulted Jake Paul’s Assistant," 21 Aug. 2017
For more than two years, the film -- which was shot in New Orleans in late 2014 -- has languished unreleased while entangled in the Relativity Media bankruptcy mess.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "'Kidnap' movie review: Halle Berry plays a mom on a mission in N.O.-shot thriller," 3 Aug. 2017
The dispute over Magnitsky Act sanctions wound up entangling some American families who were seeking to adopt children from Russian orphanages.

— CBS News, "Bill Browder on past dealings with Russian lawyer in Trump Jr. meeting," 18 July 2017
Matt Tait, a cybersecurity expert, recounts in detail Smith’s attempt to recruit him to obtain the emails, and his complete lack of concern that he might be entangled in a Russian influence campaign contrary to American interests.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Republican Who Sought Clinton Emails Did Not Die Of Natural Causes," 13 July 2017
Backlashes and bird's nests entangle their steps while walking the learning curve.

— wes coast, NOLA.com, "Six baitcasting reels under $200, perfect for South Louisiana," 12 July 2017
Banks can be instruments of modern Russian espionage tradecraft, entangling targets, realigning their interests with those of Russia, even without their knowledge.

— chris smith, vanityfair.com, "After the Shocking Donnie Jr. Meeting, Deciphering Paul Manafort’s Smoke Signals the Lynchpin to the Trump-Russia Scandal," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entangle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.