mangles; mangled; mangling
1
: to injure or damage (something or someone) severely by cutting, tearing, or crushing
His leg had been mangled by an explosion.
a mangled piece of metal
2
: to do (something) badly : to ruin (something) because of carelessness or a lack of skill
The newspaper mangled the story. [=it did not report the story correctly]
He mangled [=botched] the speech.
They mangled my favorite song!
plural mangles
: an old-fashioned machine used to squeeze water out of wet clothes after they have been washed
Cite this Entry
“Mangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/mangle. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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