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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untangling
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untangling
Verb
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What was once envisioned as a vital partnership of the 21st century is fraying—and becoming another source of uncertainty in a world order that seems to be unraveling.—
Vaibhav Vats,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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Now that safety net is unraveling.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The operational tasks that consume their days today will run themselves, freeing your people to focus on what humans do best.—
David Zwick,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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That system collapsed in the 1960s, freeing actors to choose their own projects and collaborators but leaving them sartorially adrift.—
Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell,
The Atlantic,
5 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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Immediate gratification often outweighs long-term goals, creating a constant tension between saving and spending.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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What began as a school assignment has evolved into a potential life-saving tool for explosive ordnance disposal teams across the Defense Department.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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His messaging consistently demonstrates that true success is an inside job, a byproduct of liberating oneself of mental constraints.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untangling. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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