definitions

tangled

[ tang-guh ld ]
/ ˈtæŋ gəld /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR tangled ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

snarled, interlaced, or mixed up: tangled thread.
very complicated, intricate, or involved: tangled bureaucratic procedures.

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RELATED WORDS

chaotic, knotted, muddled, twisted, trapped, intricate, involved, complicated, confused, disordered, difficult

Nearby words

tangier disease, tangier zone, tangka, tangle, tangleberry, tangled, tanglewood, tango, tangor, tangoreceptor, tangram

Origin of tangled

First recorded in 1580–90; tangle1 + -ed2

Definition for tangled (2 of 2)

tangle

1
[ tang-guhl ]
/ ˈtæŋ gəl /

verb (used with object), tan·gled, tan·gling.

verb (used without object), tan·gled, tan·gling.

to be or become tangled.
Informal. to come into conflict; fight or argue: I don't want to tangle with him over the new ruling.

noun

Origin of tangle

1
1300–50; Middle English tangilen, tagilen to entangle < Scandinavian; compare Swedish (dial.) taggla to disarrange

Related forms

tan·gle·ment, nountan·gler, nountan·gly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tangled

British Dictionary definitions for tangled (1 of 2)

tangle

1
/ (ˈtæŋɡəl) /

noun

a confused or complicated mass of hairs, lines, fibres, etc, knotted or coiled together
a complicated problem, condition, or situation

verb

to become or cause to become twisted together in a confused mass
(intr often foll by with) to come into conflict; contendto tangle with the police
(tr) to involve in matters which hinder or confuseto tangle someone in a shady deal
(tr) to ensnare or trap, as in a net

Derived Forms

tanglement, nountangler, nountangly, adjective

Word Origin for tangle

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

British Dictionary definitions for tangled (2 of 2)

tangle

2

tangle weed

/ (ˈtæŋɡəl) /

noun

alternative names (esp Scot) for oarweed

Word Origin for tangle

C16: of Scandinavian origin: compare Danish tang seaweed
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012