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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entangling
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
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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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,
17 Mar. 2026
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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
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Climate change warms the atmosphere, raising baseline temperatures and making heat-trapping weather patterns more intense and longer-lasting.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
By nature, latex foam is very responsive (for comfort without sinking in), ventilates by not trapping heat, and, to top it off, is entirely hypoallergenic.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Persian Gulf conflict threatens to reignite inflation while slowing growth, further complicating the Fed’s work.—
Andrew Ackerman,
Washington Post,
18 Mar. 2026
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The virtual shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is unnerving the world economy, driving up energy and fertilizer prices, threatening food shortages in poor countries, destabilizing fragile states and complicating efforts by central banks to drive down prices for consumers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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After months of investigating allegations of a $140 million Ponzi scheme, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office has made numerous criminal referrals and issued $1 million in fines, ensnaring a number of state GOP figures.—
Olivia Rubin,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
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More so, though, Levin took it upon himself to appeal directly to the person who wrote the note, at the very least cautioning them against ensnaring themselves in a federal crime.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In observing the characters as much, in effect, from within as from without—and in intertwining their individual perspectives with the lines of force that surround them—Ouédraogo builds the movie in two directions at once, internal and external, deeply personal yet broad in range.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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In a political thriller with intertwining story lines, the A-lister stars as a veteran CIA agent who uncovers an assassination plot in the Middle East.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Entangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangling. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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