1
as in tangling
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trapping
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 complicating
to make complex or difficult
the history of Alexander the Great is entangled by variant accounts of his exploits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entangling
The causes were entangling secret alliances, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the ensuing diplomatic brinksmanship.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Last year’s dead leaves and branches, still not cleared away, lay on the ground, entangling our feet.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet the same fisheries that drive economic value also generate high levels of bycatch, entangling marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and sharks in their operations.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office is set to begin training deputies on the Grappler system, a pursuit intervention device that disables a suspect's vehicle by entangling its tires rather than forcing a crash.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Brasília has pursued a strategy of diversifying partnerships to preserve its autonomy—maintaining cordial ties with all great powers while entangling with none.
—Oliver Stuenkel, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
But the power can still be politically entangling.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Linking quantum computers to create powerful, high-speed quantum networks involves entangling atoms through a fiber cable.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2025
German military drills last month in the northern port city of Hamburg demonstrated how like a spider, a large military drone shot a net at a smaller one in mid-flight, entangling its propellers and forcing it to the ground, where a robotic dog trotted over to seek possible explosives.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Last year’s dead leaves and branches, still not cleared away, lay on the ground, entangling our feet.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet the same fisheries that drive economic value also generate high levels of bycatch, entangling marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and sharks in their operations.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office is set to begin training deputies on the Grappler system, a pursuit intervention device that disables a suspect's vehicle by entangling its tires rather than forcing a crash.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Brasília has pursued a strategy of diversifying partnerships to preserve its autonomy—maintaining cordial ties with all great powers while entangling with none.
—Oliver Stuenkel, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
But the power can still be politically entangling.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Linking quantum computers to create powerful, high-speed quantum networks involves entangling atoms through a fiber cable.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2025
German military drills last month in the northern port city of Hamburg demonstrated how like a spider, a large military drone shot a net at a smaller one in mid-flight, entangling its propellers and forcing it to the ground, where a robotic dog trotted over to seek possible explosives.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entangling
Verb
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Wrap cords using cable ties to prevent tangling and fraying.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Kings have prioritized defense for most of the past two decades, often playing a sticky, trapping style that doesn’t promote offensive creativity or attack.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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But on the other, the reality of lockdown is profoundly repetitive, trapping them all in an endless present tense.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Rescuers, including disaster officers and traffic police, evacuated victims and cleared the wreckage, though several were pinned inside the vehicles, complicating rescue efforts and disrupting traffic along the highway, Margono said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
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The rugged terrain of steep hills — combined with the man’s extensive Army survival training — is complicating the search.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Then Granlund, with assistance from the firm of Carlson and (Leo) Carlsson, netted his second power-play goal in two games, knotting the score from the right hashmarks.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
27 Apr. 2026
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In the '90s, braiders primarily used synthetic hair, mainly because that’s what was widely available, but which came with its fair share of knotting and matting.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And in that quest for unbridled growth, the AI industry has wrested ungodly amounts of capital from investors all looking for the next big thing, ensnaring the entire economy.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Amazon Freevee’s bilingual series followed the intertwining lives of various families in the farmlands of Northern California.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
1 May 2026
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The snapshot, based on data collected in 2025 and released this week, highlights water ice in bright blue alongside intertwining dark dust lanes that weave through the region, dotted with pinpricks of light from newborn stars.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Entangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangling. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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