enmesh

verb

in-ˈmesh How to pronounce enmesh (audio)
variants also immesh
Definition of enmeshnext
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net soon after Eli Whitney had invented it, others copied his cotton gin, and he spent the rest of his life enmeshed in lawsuits trying to protect his invention

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 enmesh Meanwhile, Mars is becoming easier to sight, after being enmeshed in the bright twilight glow for nearly a year. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 June 2026 Elwes has spent his years in California not just establishing his family life, but also further enmeshing himself in Hollywood. — Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026 In Akira Ikezoe’s paintings, on view in the Whitney Biennial, artistic, social, ecological, and energy systems enmesh in circular loops that appear schematic, like a Fordist assembly line. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026 Several publicists enmeshed in the Lively-Baldoni drama (Stephanie Jones, Jennifer Abel, and Melissa Nathan) remain engaged in their own legal battle in a separate litigation. — Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for enmesh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enmesh
  1. trap
  2. tangle
  3. entrap
  4. ensnare
Verb
  • That ought to be advantageous for the Spaniard, who seemed too often to run aground when trapped inside in a more narrow system.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • These defects trap electrical charges, which lowers efficiency and makes permanent damage more likely during reverse-bias operation.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Definition of trap
Verb
  • But consent decrees are legally and politically complicated, and the treatment of migrant children further tangles the situation.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • Almost every 22-minute chapter here follows the same comfortably familiar outline, with the leads getting acclimated to a new universe, getting tangled up in a life-or-death showdown and then fleeing to the next one.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
Definition of tangle
Verb
  • Robert is unwittingly entrapped, and has absconded with something mob bigwig Lombardi wants revenge for.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • There were 27 people inside the store at the time, including two who became partially entrapped but were able to free themselves and safely leave, according to local authorities.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of entrap
Verb
  • Milchman added that mass arrests often ensnare those who are going for innocent fun without preventing others from breaking the law.
    — Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 25 July 2026
  • But years later, some of the highest-flying professional clubs have folded due to financial mismanagement, and dozens of soccer officials have been banned or imprisoned, and numerous teams ensnared in an anti-graft campaign.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of ensnare

Browse Nearby Words

en masse
enmesh
enmeshed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enmesh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enmesh. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on enmesh

Nglish: Translation of enmesh for Spanish Speakers

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