1
as in to knot
to twist together into a usually confused mass
in the process of taking down the Christmas tree, we managed to entangle the string of lights into a hopeless mess of wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
the young runaway gradually became entangled in a web of lies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to complicate
to make complex or difficult
the history of Alexander the Great is entangled by variant accounts of his exploits
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entangle
The molecules in an apple are described by quantum mechanics, and photons of light bouncing off the surface molecules get entangled with them.
—
Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Its primary quartet of actors — Stellan Skarsgård as a legendary director angling for a comeback, Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as his daughters and Elle Fanning as an A-list actor who becomes entangled in the family drama — all received nods.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Your optimism may want to assist your peers, yet outside influences could entangle you in myriad complications.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Because these newly real particles originated as a pair, they are entangled, retaining a connection regardless of how far they may be separated.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for entangle
Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Its primary quartet of actors — Stellan Skarsgård as a legendary director angling for a comeback, Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as his daughters and Elle Fanning as an A-list actor who becomes entangled in the family drama — all received nods.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Your optimism may want to assist your peers, yet outside influences could entangle you in myriad complications.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Because these newly real particles originated as a pair, they are entangled, retaining a connection regardless of how far they may be separated.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for entangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entangle
Verb
-
Sophomore Nahla Whittier’s two free throws to start the fourth period knotted the game at 27-27.—
Mike Waters,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Simply knot the ends to keep debris out.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
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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Unlike some twill weave sheets that may trap heat, these are made with bamboo-viscose, a naturally cooling fabric.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In any event, comparisons between hospitals’ nursing contracts are complicated because facilities may have different units and other specifics.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
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The situation has been complicated by the refusal of congressional Democrats to vote for a new budget for Noem’s department, which has caused a partial government shutdown that is expected to last at least into next week.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While Diane is posited as one of the good guys, it's later revealed that she's tangled up in the conspiracy to assassinate foreign leader Omar Zadar.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
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Germany entered the cross-country skiing portion with a 13-second lead over the pack, followed by Japan eight seconds later, but the two got tangled in a crash that landed them in fifth and sixth, respectively.—
Rebecca Tauber,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Next to the particularities of place—the Midwest, the South—or enmeshed with it, are the particularities of language, of idiom, and ways of saying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
On Wall Street, the recovery for bitcoin helped stocks of companies enmeshed in the crypto economy.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But his empire is also heavily intertwined in the publishing world; his son, Lachlan Murdoch, is the chairman of News Corp, which owns The Wall Street Journal among other outlets including The Times and the New York Post.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Honeysuckle tends to intertwine with fences and structures.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle caught on fire, entrapping the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Traffickers rely on guns for intimidation, control and protection of their criminal proceeds along with drugs to entrap and manipulate victims, launder money and commit various tax crimes, Raybould said.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By Jef Feeley and Sonja Wind | Bloomberg Bayer AG agreed to pay more than $7 billion as part of a major push to resolve current and future cancer lawsuits over its top-selling Roundup weedkiller in a settlement plan to turn the page on litigation that has ensnared the company for years.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
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The case has ensnared senior officials and members of Ukraine’s business elite — including a former close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his pre-political media career — and caused concern among Kyiv’s Western allies.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Entangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangle. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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