tangled

adjective

tan·​gled ˈtaŋ-gəld 

1

: existing in or giving the appearance of a state of utter disorder

2

: very involved : exceedingly complex

Synonyms of tangled

• complicated
• intricate
• complicate
• complex

Examples of tangled in a Sentence

it helps to have a lawyer to sort out the tangled contracts that home buyers typically have to contend with

Recent Examples on the Web

Sebold’s memoir later became a bestseller, and through a tangled series of events that began when producers decided to make a film version of the memoir, the book ultimately helped lead to Broadwater’s exoneration in 2021. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026

Declutter Your Jewelry Box or Ring Dish These can often become catch-alls for loose earring backs, tangled necklaces, and random coins. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 July 2026

With wit and élan Amitav Ghosh explores India’s own reincarnation as a democracy, brilliant societies emerging from tangled layers of the postcolonial era. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

If your logistics data is a tangled mess of different carrier formats, an AI agent cannot parse your reliability. — Arne Jeroschewski, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tangled

• angled
• dangled
• fangled
• jangled
• mangled
• spangled
• strangled
• wrangled
• disentangled
• entangled
• newfangled
• untangled