imbroglio

noun

im·​bro·​glio im-ˈbrōl-(ˌ)yō How to pronounce imbroglio (audio)
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.

Examples of imbroglio in a Sentence

a celebrated imbroglio involving some big names in the New York literary scene
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recounting the history of the casino imbroglio, Marshall wrote that the 2018 statewide ballot issue that became Amendment 100 authorized casino gambling licenses in Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson and Pope counties. Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2025 These people online have also said that the Owens family has long lived way beyond their means, while Ronn Owens and Jan Black should take responsibility for enabling their daughter’s costly legal imbroglios with these different men, who also have faced harm to their reputations in the process. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025 The legal imbroglio spotlights the growing importance of tracking sports as rights deals become increasingly spread out among different venues. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025 Years before the Kendrick Lamar and Drake imbroglio, Pusha T shared his own vicious diss track against the Canadian hip-hop superstar. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for imbroglio

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of imbroglio was in 1750

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Cite this Entry

“Imbroglio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imbroglio. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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