entangle

[ en-tang-guhl ]

verb (used with object)

, en·tan·gled, en·tan·gling.

1. to make tangled; ensnarl; intertwine.
2. to involve in or as in a tangle; ensnare; enmesh:

   to be entangled by intrigue.

3. to involve in difficulties.
4. to confuse or perplex.

   Synonyms: bewilder

entangle

/ ɪnˈtæŋɡəl /

verb

1. to catch or involve in or as if in a tangle; ensnare or enmesh
2. to make tangled or twisted; snarl
3. to make complicated; confuse
4. to involve in difficulties; entrap

Derived Forms

• enˈtangler, noun

Other Words From

• en·tangle·a·ble adjective
• en·tangled·ly adverb
• en·tangled·ness noun
• en·tangler noun
• en·tangling·ly adverb
• inter·en·tangle verb (used with object) interentangled interentangling
• unen·tangle·a·ble adjective
• unen·tangled adjective
• unen·tangling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of entangle¹

First recorded in 1530–40; en- ¹ + tangle ¹

Synonym Study

See involve.

Example Sentences

With hundreds of species entangled on them—consuming, eliminating, extracting, and synthesizing matter—these bacterial lawns, like the Ligurian pastures, have the characteristic of an undulating meadow in the spring, inside of us.

From Nautilus

Make a bolaTechnically the bola is an impact weapon, but its other great feature is its ability to entangle a target.

From Popular-Science

The researchers then split these entangled photon pairs up into multiple channels based on their wavelength before combining, or multiplexing, them and transmitting them over a single fiber optic cable.

From Singularity Hub 

The researchers used a single source of photon pairs that had been entangled, which means their quantum states are intrinsically linked and any change or measurement of one is mirrored in the other.

From Singularity Hub 

Then there’s the trope of the crossdressing hero getting entangled in a sexually confusing romance, a plot that’s been used to inject queerness into stories since Shakespeare and beyond.

From Vox

We entangle them in a web of fear, of helplessness and anguish.

From The Daily Beast

From there, the desires of each character entangle, leaving all of them unsatisfied.

From The Daily Beast

He was visited by persons of all classes, who, taking their cue from the New Testament, strove to entangle him in his talk.

From Project Gutenberg

Literally, fools entangle affairs and circumstances, and require "wise men" to assist them out of their troubles.

From Project Gutenberg

The Pharisees, always captious and controversial, sought to entangle the Savior in a discussion on the subject of divorce.

From Project Gutenberg

You see these people entangle themselves in their own sophisms, because they do not know what demonstration means.

From Project Gutenberg

The Pharisees have found it of no avail to confront their enemy; but they may still be able to entangle Him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• complicate
• confuse
• embarrass
• embroil
• enmesh
• ensnare
• entrap
• implicate
• intertwine
• interweave
• perplex
• snare
• snarl
• tangle
• unsettle