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 of untangle

• 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

Generations of medical students have voiced their desire for more nutrition education, especially for practical knowledge to address numerous questions from their patients and to untangle the overflow of information and misinformation from contemporary media. —Christopher Duggan, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026

Dymphna Cordova usually spends her Thursday mornings deep in meeting mode to untangle work priorities with her team or manage complex employee issues at her company. —Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026

But Senate Republicans have increasingly come to believe the budget process is the only way to untangle a weekslong impasse over DHS. —David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2026

Golden ran onto the court as officials scrambled to untangle the scrum before calling technicals on each player and giving Iowa the ball. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026

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