imbroglio

noun

im·​bro·​glio im-ˈbrōl-(ˌ)yō 

plural imbroglios

1

a

: an acutely painful or embarrassing misunderstanding

b

: scandal sense 1a

survived the political imbroglio

c

: a violently confused or bitterly complicated altercation : embroilment

d

: an intricate or complicated situation (as in a drama or novel)

2

: a confused mass

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.

Synonyms

• altercation
• argle-bargle [chiefly British]
• argument
• argy-bargy [chiefly British]
• battle royal
• bicker
• brawl
• contretemps
• controversy
• cross fire
• disagreement
• dispute
• donnybrook
• falling-out
• fight
• hassle
• kickup
• misunderstanding
• quarrel
• rhubarb
• row
• scrap
• set-to
• spat
• squabble
• tiff
• wrangle

Examples of imbroglio in a Sentence

a celebrated imbroglio involving some big names in the New York literary scene

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Right about then, the Academy solons were probably wishing for something, anything, to distract attention from the Disney imbroglio. —Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from imbrogliare to entangle, from Middle French embrouiller — more at embroil

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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