tangle

¹

[tang-guhl]

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

[tang-guhl]

noun

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

tangle

¹

/ 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

/ ˈtæŋɡəl /

noun

1. alternative names (esp Scot) for oarweed

Other Word Forms

• tanglement noun
• tangler noun
• tangly adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangle¹

C14 tangilen, variant of tagilen, probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish dialect taggla to entangle

Origin of tangle²

C16: of Scandinavian origin: compare Danish tang seaweed

Example Sentences

A tangle of light above a black silhouette of a palm tree emits a sulfurous glow, its nauseous beauty balanced on the tip of potential annihilation.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Drivers tackling the madness of westside traffic leading to or from the tangled 405 Freeway will surely empathize with Buggy Bear who looks as if he’s one wrong turn away from having a traffic-induced meltdown.

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We walked through tree branches, tangled vines and sharp hanging stalactites, over roots as thick as a human leg, and carcasses of birds, mice and God knows what else in varying states of decay.

Read more on Salon

The number of whales getting tangled up in fishing nets, line, buoys and other miscellaneous rope off the coasts of the United States hit a record high in 2024, with California taking the ignominious lead.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even in so-called sanctuary jurisdictions such as Los Angeles, where local laws prohibit cops from participating in civil immigration enforcement, police officers have found themselves tangled up in federal operations.

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Related Words

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