as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to knot
to twist together into a usually confused mass
that darn cat tangled the yarn I was trying to knit with
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tangle
Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
In a state with a vast gap between rich and poor, the plan has resulted in a tangle of competing interests at a time when both Democrats and Republicans are struggling to respond to economic anxiety driven by rising costs ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
—Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Sam Jane, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Security guards are tangled in the middle of ICE, migrants, observers, activists and press as courthouse dynamics play out in this new normal in America.
—Carol Guzy, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Noun
Three would be unprecedented, and no one is quite sure how Neon’s tangle of international contenders will shake out.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
In a state with a vast gap between rich and poor, the plan has resulted in a tangle of competing interests at a time when both Democrats and Republicans are struggling to respond to economic anxiety driven by rising costs ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
—Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
Four of them did so safely, while one was forced to veer away from the stadium and another became tangled in the netting.
—Sam Jane, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Security guards are tangled in the middle of ICE, migrants, observers, activists and press as courthouse dynamics play out in this new normal in America.
—Carol Guzy, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangle
Noun
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Multiple helpers can slow response during urgent scams and create confusion when fast decisions matter.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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The category confusion continued this year.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At the landfill site dozens of rescuers scrambled overnight in search of people trapped.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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How much is a trapping license in Kentucky?—
Hannah Pinski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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String one through the smaller wreath, and knot it; secure to the window frame with a nail.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
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An attendant shields the horse from the sun with a large umbrella as others knot its mane into cornrows and adorn the animal’s leg with an ornament.—
James Meyer,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Investigators noted that fog was present in the area at the time of the collision.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangle. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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