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
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 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
-
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
-
The instinctive Moon opposes jovial Jupiter, tangling your 10th House of Ambition with your 4th House of Comfort.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The flames quickly spread to the second floor, trapping a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman inside an apartment.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Nests tucked into corners or under joists can also cause damage by trapping moisture and attracting secondary pests such as carpenter ants and termites.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans are pursuing compensation for homes, businesses and land confiscated by Castro’s government, complicating potential negotiations.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That could play out again with Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills, though one complicating factor with the Florida Republican is his ethics investigation isn’t as far along.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter, knotting the contest at 33-33 before running out of gas — just as Bama was mashing the pedal to the floor.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Amid social turmoil, three intertwining tales of disillusioned misfits collide under the machinations of an all-seeing institution.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The story is something of a palimpsest, with Romvari’s own perspective intertwining with the character’s and conveying a sense of being both inside and outside the action.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Entangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangling. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
