tangled

adjective

tan·​gled ˈtaŋ-gəld 

1

: existing in or giving the appearance of a state of utter disorder

2

: very involved : exceedingly complex

Synonyms of tangled

• complicated
• intricate
• complicate
• complex

Examples of tangled in a Sentence

it helps to have a lawyer to sort out the tangled contracts that home buyers typically have to contend with

Recent Examples on the Web

The space fans have come to know is covered in tangled vines and surrounded by plants and yard art. — Jenna Thompson july 23, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

Sebold’s memoir later became a bestseller, and through a tangled series of events that began when producers decided to make a film version of the memoir, the book ultimately helped lead to Broadwater’s exoneration in 2021. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026

Declutter Your Jewelry Box or Ring Dish These can often become catch-alls for loose earring backs, tangled necklaces, and random coins. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 July 2026

With wit and élan Amitav Ghosh explores India’s own reincarnation as a democracy, brilliant societies emerging from tangled layers of the postcolonial era. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tangled

• angled
• dangled
• fangled
• jangled
• mangled
• spangled
• strangled
• wrangled
• disentangled
• entangled
• newfangled
• untangled