detangle

verb

de·​tan·​gle (ˌ)dē-ˈtaŋ-gəl 

detangled; detangling; detangles

transitive verb

: to remove tangles from

Always detangle wet hair gently with a wide-toothed comb.

—Elle

Detangle and lay out all your light strings. Check for frayed wires and broken bulbs and repair or replace as needed.

—Samantha Mazzotta

detangler noun

plural detanglers

Cream rinses are not designed to adhere to the hair for any length of time but are just there to assist with the combing out (detanglers, in effect).

—Allison Leopold

Examples of detangle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Apply a base layer of detangling spray to the area, and use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to gently work at the mat, starting at the outer edges (closest to your ends, not your roots) and using small strokes. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025

This lightweight oil disappears into hair on contact, softening coarse strands, detangling knots, and taming frizz. —Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Sep. 2025

Due to the delicacy of our coils, regular hydration, detangling, scalp detoxes, and trimming are all daily concerns. —Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 31 July 2025

The brush delivers 180 rotations per minute and can detangle itself if gets tripped up by too much hair. —PC Magazine, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for detangle

• angle
• bangle
• dangle
• jangle
• mangle
• strangle
• tangle
• wrangle
• disentangle
• entangle
• quadrangle
• triangle