1
as in unraveling
to separate the various strands of
gently untangled the baby's hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
I was finally able to untangle myself from my credit problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untangling
This premiere has a lot to take care of, introducing new threats while untangling the messy fallout from the season finale.
—
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
With the help of resourceful Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente), Bourne evades capture from the CIA — namely data analyst Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) and Deputy Director Ward Abbott (Brian Cox) — while untangling his involvement in the deadly Operation Treadstone.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2025
For Glessner Lee, the puzzle of untangling the truth about violent deaths proved irresistible.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025
Many modern and contemporary writers are drawn to the villanelle as a way to circle around their subject matter, exploring obsession, enchantment, brooding, or the slow work of untangling a difficult emotion.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 19 Aug. 2025
The challenges of untangling dementia Dementia is a major noncommunicable disease that is a leading cause of death around the world.
—Anand Kumar, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2025
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
With the help of resourceful Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente), Bourne evades capture from the CIA — namely data analyst Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) and Deputy Director Ward Abbott (Brian Cox) — while untangling his involvement in the deadly Operation Treadstone.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2025
For Glessner Lee, the puzzle of untangling the truth about violent deaths proved irresistible.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025
Many modern and contemporary writers are drawn to the villanelle as a way to circle around their subject matter, exploring obsession, enchantment, brooding, or the slow work of untangling a difficult emotion.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 19 Aug. 2025
The challenges of untangling dementia Dementia is a major noncommunicable disease that is a leading cause of death around the world.
—Anand Kumar, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untangling
Verb
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The climate crisis is unraveling the life cycles of wildlife around the world—by one estimate, for about half of all species.—
Marion Renault,
The Atlantic,
29 Sep. 2025
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Stuck on the final chapter, with no inspiration in sight, Lorena’s life begins to mirror the unraveling universe around her.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Chiefs set up the fourth-and-1 dagger to Brown with a bootleg, freeing Mahomes to roll out to his right and complete the throw on the run.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
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These include freeing up money that can be spent on other parts of the car, such as aerodynamic development.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Our narrator, a gay, happily married father of two disentangling himself from a poly love affair, is—depending on the light—brilliant, self-mythologizing, abject, hopeful, and vulnerable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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Brittany Luse is joined by writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox to get into how people are disentangling alcohol from their lives, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.—
Veralyn Williams,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Front man Coleman cuts a tall, brooding figure, saving his emotions for his vocal delivery and occasional pronouncements on the importance of faith.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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The machine has a sleek, space-saving design, with a water tank positioned behind the unit.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Reframing failure in this way is liberating.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Still, not every architect involved has found the project’s carte blanche approach liberating.—
Siobhan Reid,
Robb Report,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untangling. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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