untangle

verb

un·​tan·​gle ˌən-ˈtaŋ-gəl 

untangled; untangling; untangles

transitive verb

: to loose from tangles or entanglement : straighten out

untangle a knot

untangle a mystery

Synonyms

• disentangle
• ravel (out)
• unbraid
• unlay
• unravel
• unsnarl
• untwine
• untwist
• unweave

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

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

For years, the city has made unsuccessful attempts to untangle the byzantine bureaucracy that maintains the streetscape, in which a seemingly simple fix like repaving a corner can conjure up a web of departments, timelines, requirements, studies and objectives. —Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024

This intricate data web needs to be untangled, requiring tools and expertise to ensure successful integration. —Amit Singh, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024

As a judge and some other people involved try to untangle whether or not this case can really even be heard. —Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

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