tangle

¹ American  

[tang-guhl] / ˈtæŋ gəl /

verb (used with object)

tangled, tangling

1. to bring together into a mass of confusedly interlaced or intertwisted threads, strands, or other like parts; snarl.

2. to involve in something that hampers, obstructs, or overgrows.

   The bushes were tangled with vines.

3. to catch and hold in or as if in a net or snare.

---

verb (used without object)

tangled, tangling

1. to be or become tangled.

2. Informal. to come into conflict; fight or argue.

   I don't want to tangle with him over the new ruling.

noun

1. a tangled condition or situation.

2. a tangled or confused mass or assemblage of something.

3. a confused jumble.

   a tangle of contradictory statements.

   Synonyms:

   fight, dispute, argument, altercation, maze, labyrinth, snarl

4. Informal. a conflict; disagreement.

   He got into a tangle with the governor.

tangle ² American  

[tang-guhl] / ˈtæŋ gəl /

noun

1. any of several large seaweeds of the genus Laminaria.

---

tangle ¹ British  

/ ˈtæŋɡəl /

noun

1. a confused or complicated mass of hairs, lines, fibres, etc, knotted or coiled together

2. a complicated problem, condition, or situation

---

verb

1. to become or cause to become twisted together in a confused mass

2. to come into conflict; contend

   to tangle with the police

3. (tr) to involve in matters which hinder or confuse

   to tangle someone in a shady deal

4. (tr) to ensnare or trap, as in a net

tangle ² British  

/ ˈtæŋɡəl /

noun

1. alternative names (esp Scot) for oarweed

---

Other Word Forms

• tanglement noun
• tangler noun
• tangly adverb

Etymology

Origin of tangle¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tangilen, tagilen “to entangle,” probably from a Scandinavian language; compare Swedish (dialect) taggla “to disarrange”

Origin of tangle²

First recorded in 1530–40; from a Scandinavian language; compare Old Norse thǫngull “strand of tangle,” Norwegian tang

Example Sentences

“Charge my phone?” asked another, and Gil submitted the device into a tangle of cords growing from a surge protector.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

A formidable presence, a defender's nightmare - too tight and he'll turn you, drop off and he'll bury one from distance, try to tangle and he'll cause you all kinds of chaos.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

The chicken, shredded tender, mingles with spaghetti broken into thirds, while cream-of-mushroom soup pulls everything into a glossy, velvety tangle.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

It has balanced the budget, improved government aid to the poor by removing political middlemen, and cut a tangle of red tape that was strangling business.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Descartes gets himself into a bit of a tangle here.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• confuse
• embroil
• enmesh
• entangle
• perplex
• snarl
• tie up
• trap