1
as in to knot
to twist together into a usually confused mass
in the process of taking down the Christmas tree, we managed to entangle the string of lights into a hopeless mess of wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
the young runaway gradually became entangled in a web of lies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to complicate
to make complex or difficult
the history of Alexander the Great is entangled by variant accounts of his exploits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of entangle
Khimberly’s death brings additional scrutiny to LAUSD at a time when the district is already entangled in other controversies.
—
Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Set in 1983 Sudan, as Sharia Law takes hold, a doctor, a translator and an American reporter are entangled in love and resistance amid political upheaval.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Harrison noted that the resource management plan included using helicopters to circle the deer and drop aerial nets to entangle them, so that they can be shot more easily while trapped.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
One neighbor’s insulation had become entangled in the trees.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for entangle
Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Set in 1983 Sudan, as Sharia Law takes hold, a doctor, a translator and an American reporter are entangled in love and resistance amid political upheaval.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Harrison noted that the resource management plan included using helicopters to circle the deer and drop aerial nets to entangle them, so that they can be shot more easily while trapped.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
One neighbor’s insulation had become entangled in the trees.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for entangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entangle
Verb
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Lisa Rae Moss — serving a life sentence for her involvement in the 1990 murder of her husband, Mike Moss — sat in the witness box in a courtroom in Seminole, Oklahoma, on a frigid January morning in 2025, her hands knotted in her lap.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cincinnati knotted the score again in the 52nd minute on Ayoub Jabbari's first career goal in his 10th appearance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wenrick did not answer questions about whether or not Valencia was trapped inside.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Islamic republic has threatened to attack vessels traversing the strait throughout the conflict, which has effectively closed off the conduit, trapping hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and spiking oil prices globally.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the investments may complicate Steyer’s campaign narrative as an anti-plutocrat progressive who aims to tax corporations and the rich to fund policies like single-payer health care.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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Charlotte entered the night fifth in total defensive rating at 111 over the better portion of the past three months, and the reason is apparently not all that complicated.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
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Lawmakers blamed each other’s political party for the most recent shutdown, which has halted parts of DHS funding while the White House and Congress tangle over immigration and voting laws.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Much of the country is now enmeshed in a brutal civil war, and security concerns meant voting in the recent election could be held in only 263 of the country’s 330 townships.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
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But without early shatterless mutations, our species would never have enmeshed its fate so deeply with grasses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hadestown is comprised of two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
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But the uncrewed venture to the red planet would be inextricably intertwined with NASA's Artemis campaign to return Americans to the lunar surface ahead of the first human expeditions to Mars.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At least one person was entrapped in the wreckage, according to the Forney Police Department.—
Steven Rosenbaum,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Grunion may be taken by hand only — no appliances of any kind may be used, and no holes may be dug in the beach to entrap them.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The upcoming April 7 vote over the renewal of Kansas City’s 1% earnings tax will mark one of the biggest tests of whether that opposition could risk ensnaring a critical resource for the city.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
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The question is whether new Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan will avoid the sand traps that often ensnared Grier and eventually left him on the unemployment line.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Entangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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