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
- disentanglement noun
- disentangler noun
Etymology
Origin of disentangle
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.
But these latest emails will once again raise questions over whether they can disentangle themselves from their parents' mess.
From BBC • Feb. 1, 2026
Those who study the root causes of crime say that it may take years, if not decades, to disentangle the causes of the pandemic-era surge in violence and the precipitous drop that has followed.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
"Investigating such rare familial clusters offers a rare window into the polygenic inheritance of resilience and may help disentangle the genetic and epigenetic contributions to extreme longevity," notes Dr. de Castro.
From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2026
Policymakers are trying to disentangle whether a slowdown in monthly job gains reflects fewer people entering the country and seeking jobs or, instead, a drop in demand for workers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025
Dill’s efforts to disentangle himself with dignity were only moderately successful: he rose from the pool like a small fantastical water monster, covered with green slime and dripping sheet.
From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee
![]()
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.