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
Grace McCarty, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2026
This compact jewelry case has designated spots for earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets, so everything stays organized and tangle-free.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Deceptive and newly married to her former best friend’s father, Hayley is tangled in a web of her own making—her motives appearing tied more to money than romance.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Noun
Fullness and body may come naturally, but so can long drying times, tangles, and frizz.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2026
This compact jewelry case has designated spots for earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets, so everything stays organized and tangle-free.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
And despite lacking drawstrings that might get tangled in the wash, its generously-sized hood covers and stays up on my daughter’s big head (99th percentile, thank you very much).
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Deceptive and newly married to her former best friend’s father, Hayley is tangled in a web of her own making—her motives appearing tied more to money than romance.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangle
Noun
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If any paperwork is involved, prepare it beforehand to skip mid-discussion confusion.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
However, cage announcer Bruce Buffer caused confusion by reading the scores incorrectly, announcing totals that favored Fortune’s opponent.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wenrick did not answer questions about whether or not Valencia was trapped inside.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Islamic republic has threatened to attack vessels traversing the strait throughout the conflict, which has effectively closed off the conduit, trapping hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and spiking oil prices globally.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lisa Rae Moss — serving a life sentence for her involvement in the 1990 murder of her husband, Mike Moss — sat in the witness box in a courtroom in Seminole, Oklahoma, on a frigid January morning in 2025, her hands knotted in her lap.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cincinnati knotted the score again in the 52nd minute on Ayoub Jabbari's first career goal in his 10th appearance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some patchy inland fog was also possible, mainly across the interior and over on the southwestern coast of Florida.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Where my world was hemmed in by ridgelines and holler roads, Mary Lennox’s world was hemmed in by fog and wind and the low moan of a manor house that seemed to breathe on its own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangle. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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