EMBROIL Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

embroil

verb

im-ˈbrȯi(-ə)l

Definition of embroil

as in to tangle

to place in conflict or difficulties the town has been embroiled in controversy over the building of the huge shopping mall

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of embroil Trump is currently embroiled in several simultaneous personal legal disputes with the Times over its coverage of him. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 11 July 2026 More than 800 members of United Steelworkers Local 7-1 are embroiled in a contract fight with BP over pay and job reductions. — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 By the time Shackleton returned to England, the country was embroiled in World War I, and many of his men enlisted. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 Nicholson played Lori, Mare’s best friend, whose son becomes embroiled in the murder investigation. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for embroil

Recent Examples of Synonyms for embroil

Verb

Each strand is like a beautiful clump of calligraphy all tangled up in itself, as captivating and lonely as any earthwork.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
But naturally, Ohtani’s health is tangled up in all those answers.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of tangle

Verb

What to read next Within one lunar week (which is roughly seven months on Earth), over half the methane was trapped at the moon's cold polar areas, with a whopping 42% of the substance trapped at the south pole compared to 12% at the north pole.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 14 July 2026
The film follows a man trapped inside a bar, where reality begins to unravel in increasingly disturbing ways.

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

Definition of trap

Verb

Temperatures in the beach cities pleasantly hovered in the 70s, a stark contrast to East Coast communities broiling in a heat wave.

— Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Those who turn to methods like broiling and roasting when cooking will be prone to more buildup in their oven, Murphy explains, due to the way heat breaks down oil and fat.

— Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 2 July 2026

Definition of broil

Browse Nearby Words

embroidery

embroil

embroiled

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“Embroil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embroil. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of embroil

verb

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