Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disentangle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disentangle are disembarrass, disencumber, extricate, and untangle. While all these words mean "to free from what binds or holds back," disentangle and untangle suggest painstaking separation of a thing from other things.

disentangling fact from fiction
untangle a web of deceit

When might disembarrass be a better fit than disentangle?

Although the words disembarrass and disentangle have much in common, disembarrass suggests a release from something that impedes or hinders.

disembarrassed herself of her advisers

When can disencumber be used instead of disentangle?

In some situations, the words disencumber and disentangle are roughly equivalent. However, disencumber implies a release from something that clogs or weighs down.

an article disencumbered of jargon

In what contexts can extricate take the place of disentangle?

The synonyms extricate and disentangle are sometimes interchangeable, but extricate implies the use of care or ingenuity in freeing from a difficult position or situation.

extricated himself from financial difficulties

Examples of disentangle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But as Largent’s work demonstrates, educating such a person alone may not be sufficient if the society around them is unable to disentangle dementia from its literal plaques and tangles. Laura Hercher, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2024 Boiling causes protein molecules in the egg to twist around one another, and a centrifuge can disentangle them to restore the original. George Musser, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2022 Steam's market position, recommendation whims, and broad 30 percent revenue cut have left many companies searching for ways to disentangle their futures from a single platform. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 3 May 2024 And any movement toward disentangling ourselves from each other, all these aspects of each other, is wreckage. Erik Pedersen, Orange County Register, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for disentangle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disentangle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near disentangle

Cite this Entry

“Disentangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disentangle. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on disentangle

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