as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
for two years the couple was ensnarled in the red tape of an international adoption
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Recent Examples of ensnarl
Election controversies in several swing-state counties have the potential to ensnarl the presidential race.
—
John Riley, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
Other common problems can quickly be solved by wiping off the optical sensors with a soft cloth, unclogging the vacuum chute when Legos have gotten stuck inside, and cutting off long hair that has ensnarled the roller or side brushes.
—WIRED, 24 Mar. 2023
Eastbound 580 traffic remained reduced to three lanes and severe congestion began to ensnarl the highway shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
—Ricardo Cano, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023
Those exact questions would divide state government and ensnarl Utah’s COVID-19 response in politics as hundreds, and then thousands, of Utahns fell ill while the coronavirus spread worldwide.
—Bethany Rodgers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Sep. 2021
All the while, their suspicions focused on Mr. Dulos, with whom she had been ensnarled in a bitter, yearslong custody battle.
—Michael Gold, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2020
That led to a police chase that ended in Miramar, where the robbers became ensnarled in traffic and exchanged gunshots with the police.
—Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 12 Dec. 2019
The site is part of what was once envisioned as a downtown neighborhood featuring hundreds of new homes, but the original plan by developer Zaremba Inc. was ensnarled by challenges from the start.
—Jordyn Grzelewski, cleveland.com, 5 Sep. 2019
John Riley, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
Other common problems can quickly be solved by wiping off the optical sensors with a soft cloth, unclogging the vacuum chute when Legos have gotten stuck inside, and cutting off long hair that has ensnarled the roller or side brushes.
—WIRED, 24 Mar. 2023
Eastbound 580 traffic remained reduced to three lanes and severe congestion began to ensnarl the highway shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
—Ricardo Cano, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023
Those exact questions would divide state government and ensnarl Utah’s COVID-19 response in politics as hundreds, and then thousands, of Utahns fell ill while the coronavirus spread worldwide.
—Bethany Rodgers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Sep. 2021
All the while, their suspicions focused on Mr. Dulos, with whom she had been ensnarled in a bitter, yearslong custody battle.
—Michael Gold, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2020
That led to a police chase that ended in Miramar, where the robbers became ensnarled in traffic and exchanged gunshots with the police.
—Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 12 Dec. 2019
The site is part of what was once envisioned as a downtown neighborhood featuring hundreds of new homes, but the original plan by developer Zaremba Inc. was ensnarled by challenges from the start.
—Jordyn Grzelewski, cleveland.com, 5 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensnarl
Verb
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The victim, who has not been identified, suffered severe crushing injuries to his lower limbs after becoming trapped in a lifting system, local fire authorities told Reuters, citing eyewitness accounts.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Use a damp microfiber cloth to trap particles instead of just pushing them to the next surface.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Within a month, the former lawyer was tangled in a complicated web of legal controversies.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
McDavid appeared to catch an edge early in the second period after getting tangled up with teammate Mattias Ekholm and the Ducks’ Ian Moore.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ensnarl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensnarl. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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