as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated
it helps to have a lawyer to sort out the tangled contracts that home buyers typically have to contend with
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in trapped
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 knotted
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
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Recent Examples of tangled
Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 18 June 2026
On top of doggedly tracking a serial killer whose murder spree started decades earlier, our shrewd heroine uncovers a tangled workplace conspiracy that's as sinister as her prime suspect's motives.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
Agitation is also slower and gentler so items don’t become tangled or stretched while getting cleaned.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangled
Adjective
But any time a cell is not actively dividing, its chromatin is unwound into what looks like a tangled mess.
—Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 18 June 2026
On top of doggedly tracking a serial killer whose murder spree started decades earlier, our shrewd heroine uncovers a tangled workplace conspiracy that's as sinister as her prime suspect's motives.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Verb
Wembanyama had just shoved Brunson to the Madison Square Garden court, using his massive left hand to push the point guard near the back of the neck after the two got tangled up during a Knicks possession in the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
Agitation is also slower and gentler so items don’t become tangled or stretched while getting cleaned.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangled
Adjective
-
This will surely bring up some complicated emotions.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
-
Behind the glitter, grooves and Grammy-winning legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire sits a more complicated story, revealing a more personal side of the band’s founder, Maurice White.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Together, these methods help build a timeline of when each layer of sediment and the plastic trapped in it were deposited.—
Lisa Emili,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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Seafarers left trapped by the conflict have faced shortages of food, water and medical care on their vessels, as well as the threat of attacks.—
Joanne Stocker,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Ramin Rezaeian's beautiful cross from the right found Mohammad Mohebbi all alone in the box, and his glancing header to the far post has knotted things up yet again.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
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The hockey finals knotted at 2-2 also portend a great, full series as Carolina and Vegas (unexpectedly, for me) draw the biggest Stanley Cup TV ratings in at least 10 years.—
Greg Cote
June 10,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Art Nouveau design incorporates ceiling frescoes, terra-cotta floors, and intricate woodwork.—
Todd Plummer,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
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Some limited sets are as affordable as $25, while the largest, most intricate sets can cost up to $500.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Stocks of companies enmeshed in the artificial-intelligence industry also jumped.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Nevertheless, Christianity was enmeshed in public life.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Despite differing views on a variety of security issues, the group, like Gilpatric’s, reached a clear consensus: nuclear proliferation by any additional country would diminish U.S. power, complicate strategic planning, and increase the likelihood of nuclear use, accidents, and disasters.—
MARIANO-FLORENTINO CUÉLLAR,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That air should be JR’s vital collaborator — no complex and costly scaffolding for these magic mountains — is nothing new in Paris.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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Founded by Marc-André Roy and Jared Etzel in 2012, Domaine Roy & Fils is known for its elegant interpretations of Burgundy-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, so this complex but somewhat lighthearted rosé comes as a pleasant surprise.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tangled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangled. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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