as in confusions
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 traps
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 knots
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 tangles
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
Or even the kind of people who keep a hexagonal pencil within reach at all times in case of tape tangles.
—New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2021, Gefen and her colleagues published research in the journal Cerebral Cortex showing that super-agers are resistant to neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles, which are abnormal protein buildups tied to Alzheimer’s.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
The hippocampus of SuperAgers also has three times fewer tau tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 25 Feb. 2026
In some cases, brain scans can be used to detect these tangles when diagnosing Alzheimer’s.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The neurodegenerative condition is associated with the buildup of plaques of amyloid protein and tangles of tau protein in the brain, which can develop for a decade or more before visible symptoms such as memory loss or confusion arise.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2026
Accessories should be minimal and delicate, to avoid any tangles mid-journey.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
But the seven-member volunteer commission — long expected to take the reins from OPD’s federal overseers — still seems to be struggling to gain footing within Oakland’s complex bureaucratic tangles.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
In an improbable feat of dexterity, the American fingerstyle guitarist interprets the work of the UK electronic savants, finding graceful new forms in their brain-bending tangles.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
Or even the kind of people who keep a hexagonal pencil within reach at all times in case of tape tangles.
—New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2021, Gefen and her colleagues published research in the journal Cerebral Cortex showing that super-agers are resistant to neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles, which are abnormal protein buildups tied to Alzheimer’s.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
The hippocampus of SuperAgers also has three times fewer tau tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 25 Feb. 2026
In some cases, brain scans can be used to detect these tangles when diagnosing Alzheimer’s.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The neurodegenerative condition is associated with the buildup of plaques of amyloid protein and tangles of tau protein in the brain, which can develop for a decade or more before visible symptoms such as memory loss or confusion arise.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2026
Accessories should be minimal and delicate, to avoid any tangles mid-journey.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
But the seven-member volunteer commission — long expected to take the reins from OPD’s federal overseers — still seems to be struggling to gain footing within Oakland’s complex bureaucratic tangles.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Wire pin or slicker brushes work best for dogs with long hair that tangles easily.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangles
Noun
-
Before the Lost Weekend, John and Yoko had their New York Year — turning their personal confusions into beautifully vivid moments of rage and pain.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His handle is both his redeeming trait and what traps him in the half court.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Clear Overgrowth Remove dense vegetation up against the house, which traps moisture and creates a cozy habitat for termites.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
No matter how many knots a lawyer ties themselves in to get there, legality is not legitimacy.—
Jon Duffy,
Mercury News,
29 Nov. 2025
-
Stories like these usually lurch from one contrivance and complication to the next, but Chad Powers knots itself into a genuinely thorny conflict by the finale.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Barresi and Cuellar hold each other up with palpable tenderness, each one crafting a long, poignant arc from innocence through the fogs and thorns of experience.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangles. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
