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untangle
verb
un·tan·gle
ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl
untangled; untangling; untangles
: to loose from tangles or entanglement : straighten out
untangle a knot
untangle a mystery
Synonyms
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
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
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Word History
First Known Use
1550, in the meaning defined above
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
ˈən-
1
: to remove a tangle from : disentangle
untangle a knot
2
: to straighten out : resolve
untangle a mystery
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