untangle

verb

un·​tan·​gle ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce untangle (audio)
untangled; untangling; untangles

transitive verb

: to loose from tangles or entanglement : straighten out
untangle a knot
untangle a mystery
Choose the Right Synonym for untangle

extricate, disentangle, untangle, disencumber, disembarrass mean to free from what binds or holds back.

extricate implies the use of care or ingenuity in freeing from a difficult position or situation.

extricated himself from financial difficulties

disentangle and untangle suggest painstaking separation of a thing from other things.

disentangling fact from fiction
untangle a web of deceit

disencumber implies a release from something that clogs or weighs down.

an article disencumbered of jargon

disembarrass suggests a release from something that impedes or hinders.

disembarrassed herself of her advisers

Examples of untangle in a Sentence

She carefully untangled the child's hair. He untangled the garden hose.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Susanne was untangling the cat’s leashes when Rayne Beau jumped out of the vehicle, bolted into the forest, and vanished. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2024 Akhtar is a synthesizing playwright interested in picking apart vast systems, whether America’s relationship to Islam or the financial markets, but his writing about AI disappointingly doesn’t untangle much, instead falling into familiar tropes and arguments. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2024 In her two years at the helm, Clark has had to untangle a dizzying array of canine-and-human problems and estimated that she’s spent 80 hours in meetings with other volunteers and representatives from the city. Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2024 Together, Uncanny Valley’s hosts will untangle and explain the latest and greatest—or strangest—trends from within the tech industry and how they’re poised to shape society at large. Katie Drummond, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for untangle 

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of untangle was in 1550

Dictionary Entries Near untangle

Cite this Entry

“Untangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/untangle. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

untangle

verb
un·​tan·​gle ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl How to pronounce untangle (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to remove a tangle from : disentangle
untangle a knot
2
: to straighten out : resolve
untangle a mystery

More from Merriam-Webster on untangle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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