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

Further study is also needed to untangle one puzzling finding. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

The procedural stories are simple whodunnits with a New York twist—Murder on Broadway has Hizzoner untangling the on-stage shooting at the closing of a long-running musical, for example. —James Folta, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025

Each is a kind of performance, Blue Cowboy implies, that can be untangled and revealed as a fiction but also contains something beautiful in its sustained gesture. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025

Just a few more weeks until audiences will start to untangle some of those answers when the first four episodes premiere on November 26, followed by three on Christmas Day and the series finale on New Year’s Eve. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Nov. 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