as in tangled
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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Recent Examples of embroiled
New reports and court records show the sheriff has been embroiled in controversy several times over the past decade.
—
Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 14 Feb. 2026
One of the nation’s premier research universities, the University of Virginia, was embroiled in a divisive struggle over diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2026
In somewhat of a repeat of a similar debate last year, the Lake County Board got embroiled this month in an argument over support of the RIFL Act, a piece of state legislation that would make gun manufacturers pay for firearm injuries caused by their weapons.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
And now, his poor former flame is embroiled in the whole situation.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 11 Feb. 2026
The city, the trust and the Texas General Land Office also became embroiled in a dispute with the owner of Moses Rose’s Hideout, the downtown bar named after an Alamo escapee.
—Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Feb. 2026
The controversies that have embroiled recent British prime ministers look quaint by recent American standards.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The two leaders were former allies who later became embroiled in bruising political disputes, deepening divisions in one of Asia's most unwieldy democracies.
—Jim Gomez The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
The Port Authority’s deputy executive director role had been vacant since 2013’s Bridgegate scandal in 2013, when then-Deputy Director Bill Baroni became embroiled in the Chris Christie-era plot to inflict a traffic nightmare on the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, NJ.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 14 Feb. 2026
One of the nation’s premier research universities, the University of Virginia, was embroiled in a divisive struggle over diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2026
In somewhat of a repeat of a similar debate last year, the Lake County Board got embroiled this month in an argument over support of the RIFL Act, a piece of state legislation that would make gun manufacturers pay for firearm injuries caused by their weapons.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
And now, his poor former flame is embroiled in the whole situation.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 11 Feb. 2026
The city, the trust and the Texas General Land Office also became embroiled in a dispute with the owner of Moses Rose’s Hideout, the downtown bar named after an Alamo escapee.
—Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Feb. 2026
The controversies that have embroiled recent British prime ministers look quaint by recent American standards.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The two leaders were former allies who later became embroiled in bruising political disputes, deepening divisions in one of Asia's most unwieldy democracies.
—Jim Gomez The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
The Port Authority’s deputy executive director role had been vacant since 2013’s Bridgegate scandal in 2013, when then-Deputy Director Bill Baroni became embroiled in the Chris Christie-era plot to inflict a traffic nightmare on the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, NJ.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embroiled
Verb
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They can get tangled in recycling machinery and require expensive repairs.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
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The Punjab provincial government required motorbike riders to install a safety rod between their handlebars to keep kite strings stretched across roads from getting tangled around their necks — a past cause of injury and death.—
Betsy Joles,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pressure has been mounting on Australia, the US, the UK and other countries to repatriate thousands of citizens, most of them women and children, who have been trapped in detention camps in Syria since the fall of the Caliphate more than five years ago.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Dirt and fine particles trapped in a microfiber cloth and stiff fibers from lower-quality cloths can cause tiny scratches on the surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Working together to find further synergies between technology and materials was emphasized as the only way to navigate a complex economy mired by inflationary, trade and currency pressures.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Based on that fact, a few more years mired in mediocrity remains a possibility.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embroiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embroiled. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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