tangled

1 of 2

adjective

tan·​gled ˈtaŋ-gəld 

1

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

2

: very involved : exceedingly complex

tangled

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of tangle entry 1

Synonyms of tangled

Adjective

• complicated
• intricate
• complicate
• complex

Examples of tangled in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

The architecture morphs into a tangled digital knot that only expensive crisis engineers can untangle. — Ihor Hamal, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Declutter by addressing culprits like unused kitchen gadgets, tangled cords, and outdated electronics to free up space. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2026

The crumbling institution makes an appropriately strange backdrop for a romp that mixes madcap antics, tangled romantic relationships, and the frank, sometimes enthusiastically gross sexuality that is one of Waller-Bridge’s signatures. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

On July 24, however, a major credit quickly gave way to a tangled web of confusion. — Marion Fasel, Air Mail, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tangled

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