imbroglio
noun
Did you know?
Imbroglio and embroilment are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb embrouiller (which has the same meaning as embroil), from the prefix em-, meaning "thoroughly," plus brouiller, meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." (Brouiller is itself a descendant of an Old French word for "broth.") Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using embroil, a direct adaptation of embrouiller, as well as the noun embroilment. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of embrouiller: imbrogliare, meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun imbroglio as well.
Examples of imbroglio in a Sentence
Chris Deubert, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Shortly after the incident, the Bronx man announced his plans to file a civil suit against the Guardian Angels in Manhattan Supreme Court.
n patrol two days later, Juli seemed embarrassed by the imbroglio.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
The Honduran imbroglio was a harbinger of further frictions with Brazil.
—Michael Reid, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2015
Last March, the native Cuban and his ex Elizabeth Gutierrez, 46, were involved in a viral imbroglio outside of the home the parents of two once shared.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imbroglio
Cite this Entry
“Imbroglio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imbroglio. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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