disentangle
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to release or become free from entanglement or confusion
-
(tr) to unravel or work out
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disentangle
Explanation
When you disentangle something, you free it from a snarl or tangle. If you have long hair and pierced ears, you've probably had to disentangle an earring from a curl of hair. Something that becomes tangled or twisted needs someone to disentangle it — you might disentangle your kitten from a length of yarn, or disentangle your jacket from a thorny bush when you're hiking through the woods. You can also disentangle someone figuratively, helping them get out of an uncomfortable or difficult situation. Tangle is at the heart of disentangle, from the fourteenth century word tagilen, "to involve in a difficult situation."
Vocabulary lists containing disentangle
The Miracle Worker
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James and the Giant Peach
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Swindle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Disentangle and untie the knots, and tie them up again.
From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 02 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Francke, Kuno
Disentangle shoots of climbing plants and tie back artistically.
From Small Gardens and How to Make the Most of Them by Biddle, Violet Purton
"Disentangle what?" inquired Pao-yü; "I shall certainly go and make my report."
From Hung Lou Meng, Book I Or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel in Two Books by Joly, H. Bencraft
Disentangle it as you can—I think Browning alone could really do so!
From The Letters of Henry James, Vol. II by James, Henry
Disentangle, dis-en-tang′gl, v.t. to free from entanglement or disorder: to unravel: to disengage or set free.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
