tangled

[ tang-guhld ]

adjective

1. snarled, interlaced, or mixed up:

   tangled thread.

2. very complicated, intricate, or involved:

   tangled bureaucratic procedures.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangled¹

First recorded in 1580–90; tangle ¹ + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The tangled wars in Sudan, Ethiopia and their neighbours cry out for bold action - and if he were so minded, Trump might cut the Gordian Knot.

From BBC

Overhead, a web of tangled cables weaves between buildings, and if you pause to look up, you’ll almost certainly find a cat lounging above you.

From Salon

This means that tangled magnetic-field lines on the Sun suddenly snapped back into place.

From Salon

Kelly, who herself famously tangled with Trump as a debate moderator for Fox News, also once insisted that Santa Claus cannot possibly be Black because he “just is white.”

From Los Angeles Times

But away from the diamond, Rose’s life was tangled and messy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• complicated
• confused
• entangled
• intricate
• involved