as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
you've woven such a web of lies that it's hard to see how you can extricate yourself now
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Recent Examples of extricating
The Fort Worth Fire Department was called to the scene to help with extricating four people from the vehicle, according to the statement.
—
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2026
The alternating timelines force the writers to do a lot of strained connection-building that, around midseason, ceases to be effective; the makers of Scarpetta were very smart about joining the murders narratively, but much less smart about extricating themselves creatively.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
In Delhi, there was a growing awareness by middle powers of the need to build their own AI capability — whether in training their own models, designing their own chips, or extricating themselves from the convenient but risky grip of Silicon Valley software giants.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The unit's soldiers train to operate in frigid conditions, like driving special cold weather vehicles and extricating themselves from icy waters.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2026
The alternating timelines force the writers to do a lot of strained connection-building that, around midseason, ceases to be effective; the makers of Scarpetta were very smart about joining the murders narratively, but much less smart about extricating themselves creatively.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
In Delhi, there was a growing awareness by middle powers of the need to build their own AI capability — whether in training their own models, designing their own chips, or extricating themselves from the convenient but risky grip of Silicon Valley software giants.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The unit's soldiers train to operate in frigid conditions, like driving special cold weather vehicles and extricating themselves from icy waters.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extricating
Verb
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Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s decision on how to engage with those discussions was shaped in part by the prospect of freeing its prisoners.—
Darlene Superville,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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With the lively electronic beats, Geonu really wanted the music to feel freeing, allowing people to let go and let it all out.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Aether enthusiasts contorted themselves in knots attempting to explain this null result while still saving the notion of the aether itself.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
-
Patrick Kestler, a gang expert who has been following Jones and Gorman throughout their storied rap careers, analyzing their lyrics, saving their Instagram posts, and even searching through Gorman’s phone after he was arrested last year on suspicion of possessing ammunition as a felon in Stockton.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The Ukrainian Armed Forces eventually pushed the Russians out, liberating the site in early April 2022.—
Benjamin Mack-Jackson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
That audience members, by virtue of access to a camera, keyboard, and the Internet, can capture, compile, edit, frame, and package an event as news without any regard to journalistic ethics is liberating and constraining at the same time.—
Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was twice awarded the commissioner’s unit citation — for saving the lives of multiple residents during a six-alarm fire in 1998, and for rescuing several people trapped in a bus with severe roof damage in 2013.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
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What started out as a drug investigation resulted in Joliet police rescuing several hens, roosters and baby chicks from two men believed to have used some of the animals for fighting, authorities said.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Since then, the two countries have taken several steps to normalize relations, including restarting flights and disengaging troops along the border.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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Then their subject starts to flirt with the idea of disengaging and moving to a like-minded nudist community, even relocating for a few days to test the new setup out.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fundamental goal of the 1787 Constitution was to establish a republican form of government — and that meant disentangling the traditional powers of the monarch and placing them in different branches of government.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Embedded in a patriarchal family within an oppressive society, Mrie faces the challenge of disentangling herself from both.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extricating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extricating. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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