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
Relevance
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
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 tangle
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
The shelf even has an opening for feeding a cord right through it for tangle-free access.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
The other part of the lawsuit, involving out-of-state petition gatherers, was tangled in a separate federal-court fight about a law passed in 2025.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Noun
College basketball officials, according to those in the business, are taught not to make calls from the baseline through a tangle of bodies, instead deferring to one of your partners trailing the play.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
The shelf even has an opening for feeding a cord right through it for tangle-free access.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Vonn lost control when landing a jump in a World Cup race and ended up tangled in the safety nets on the upper portion of the course.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
The other part of the lawsuit, involving out-of-state petition gatherers, was tangled in a separate federal-court fight about a law passed in 2025.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangle
Noun
-
The crossing was closed Friday and Saturday because of confusion around operations.—
SAMY MAGDY,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Former Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt felt that there would be confusion over the fact that the Super Bowl itself took place the year after the NFL’s regular-season games.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He’s trapped in rolling crises of his own making and is struggling to sell voters on the idea of a strong American economy.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
By cutting so much of Brontë’s sprawling novel down to the quick, by focusing so squarely on just Cathy and Heathcliff, we’re trapped only in the immediacy of their doomed affection, which is never allowed to be hot enough to make the entire effort come together, let alone come undone.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But a pair of power-play goals by the Predators, and a bank shot off the arm of Gustavsson by former Gophers standout Erik Haula had the teams knotted 3-all after the initial 20 minutes.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The teams were knotted at one goal apiece through the first three rounds of the shootout before Marchand scored the go-ahead goal, and Bobrovsky ended it with a save on the shot by Mittelstadt.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Some locally dense fog remains possible Tuesday as dew point temperatures and air temperatures reach the low 60s.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Patchy dense fog will be possible for the inland areas.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangle. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
