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
So when a diabetic patient develops gastroparesis, untangling whether the drug or the disease is responsible is genuinely difficult.
—
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Because family court dockets are heavily backlogged, critics say a guardian’s recommendation often becomes the final word, despite the grueling and complex nature of the disputes they are tasked with untangling.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2026
The Seattle Mariners were an out away from untangling a messy fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Make untangling tomato stems from their cage at the end of the growing season by allowing the plant to die and dry in place.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026
Mosquitoes really do play favorites — and the reasons reveal a fascinating tangle of genetics, body chemistry and evolutionary tracking that scientists are still untangling.
—Ryan Brennan
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Caoodkdk Cable Organizer Instead of spending time untangling your chargers, use this organizer that will neatly store your cords and small devices in one place.
—Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Because family court dockets are heavily backlogged, critics say a guardian’s recommendation often becomes the final word, despite the grueling and complex nature of the disputes they are tasked with untangling.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2026
The Seattle Mariners were an out away from untangling a messy fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Make untangling tomato stems from their cage at the end of the growing season by allowing the plant to die and dry in place.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026
Mosquitoes really do play favorites — and the reasons reveal a fascinating tangle of genetics, body chemistry and evolutionary tracking that scientists are still untangling.
—Ryan Brennan
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Caoodkdk Cable Organizer Instead of spending time untangling your chargers, use this organizer that will neatly store your cords and small devices in one place.
—Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untangling
Verb
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Talking about Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen‘s hair evolution is like unraveling a tangled web of aesthetics.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
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Years later, former FBI agent Thomas Scott reopens the case, unraveling a haunting story of ambition, obsession, and the cost of keeping the cameras rolling.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
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These automation platforms are heavily leaning into AI to allow these mundane and repetitive transactions flow through your accounting system with minimal or no human involvement, freeing up your accounting staff to perform other functions.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Analysts have noted that retail investors could be causing some of the weakness in chips by freeing up dry powder in preparation for the blockbuster IPO – though Bank of America noted that last week’s sell-off was driven by big institutional money.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Verb
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South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake earlier that led to Mexico's goal and 1-0 lead, but Kim just kept his team down just one goal after saving a hard shot in the 71st minute by absorbing a hard shot from Raúl Jiménez to his chest and face.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
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This allows farmers to see how much water is in the tree itself instead of the soil, saving money and water.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The fundamental goal of the 1787 Constitution was to establish a republican form of government — and that meant disentangling the traditional powers of the monarch and placing them in different branches of government.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Embedded in a patriarchal family within an oppressive society, Mrie faces the challenge of disentangling herself from both.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But when specifically asked whether any Americans have been exposed to Ebola, and whether the government is planning on extricating them from the DRC, the CDC’s incident manager, Satish Pillai, did not answer the questions.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
17 May 2026
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Part of the experiment involves Mesler willingly extricating himself from Kordansky’s gallery roster.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Secretary Hegseth seemed in his remarks to link immigration to the legacy of the D-Day landings by Allied forces who were liberating Europe from the Nazis.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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Georgacopoulos has made a career out of liberating pearls from their classical, somewhat staid image.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untangling. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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