untangle

verb

un·​tan·​gle ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl 

untangled; untangling; untangles

transitive verb

: to loose from tangles or entanglement : straighten out

untangle a knot

untangle a mystery

Synonyms

• unravel

Choose the Right Synonym for untangle

extricate, disentangle, untangle, disencumber, disembarrass mean to free from what binds or holds back.

extricate implies the use of care or ingenuity in freeing from a difficult position or situation.

extricated himself from financial difficulties

disentangle and untangle suggest painstaking separation of a thing from other things.

disentangling fact from fiction

untangle a web of deceit

disencumber implies a release from something that clogs or weighs down.

an article disencumbered of jargon

disembarrass suggests a release from something that impedes or hinders.

disembarrassed herself of her advisers

Examples of untangle in a Sentence

She carefully untangled the child's hair.

He untangled the garden hose.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hanging ornaments with care can be one of the highlights of the holiday season, but untangling wads of string lights is far less enjoyable. —Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025

Nedra Glover Tawwab is no stranger to helping readers untangle their emotional lives. —Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025

Constructing complete synthetic organisms is the only way to untangle all the various functions evolution mixed together over billions of years. —Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025

Authorities are now trying to untangle what happened at the Pacific Street business, where a number of dogs and cats remain in freezers, some reportedly in poor condition and without identifying tags. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for untangle

• angle
• bangle
• dangle
• jangle
• mangle
• strangle
• tangle
• wrangle
• disentangle
• entangle
• quadrangle
• triangle

Kids Definition

untangle

verb

un·​tan·​gle ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl 

ˈən-

1

: to remove a tangle from : disentangle

untangle a knot

2

: to straighten out : resolve

untangle a mystery