untangle

[uhn-tang-guh l]

See more synonyms for untangle on Thesaurus.com

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

to bring out of a tangled state; disentangle; unsnarl.
to straighten out or clear up (anything confused or perplexing).

Origin of untangle

First recorded in 1540–50; un-² + tangle¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for untangle

Contemporary Examples

How will they find legal advice to help them untangle the legal nightmare of applying for and qualifying for asylum?
LGBT Asylum Seekers Need America More Than Ever
Gene Robinson
June 29, 2014
A few doors down, Jeff Nier was trying to figure out how to untangle the three-car pile-up in his driveway.
Nightmare on Coney Island After Sandy Knocks Historic Area to its Knees
Paula Szuchman
November 1, 2012
Observers, meanwhile, will continue to untangle Magnotta's reality, breaking down the legend he spent years building up online.
Alleged Killer Magnotta Was Caught Thanks to His Own Carelessness
Tracy McNicoll
June 5, 2012
It will take an outsider to untangle the pernicious insiders' club that Berlusconi created in the Italian government.
Can Berlusconi's Legacy Be Undone?
Rula Jebreal
November 13, 2011
Come Thursday, the Moon causes misunderstandings that you find impossible to untangle.
Horoscopes: The Week of April 3
Starsky + Cox
April 3, 2011

Historical Examples

Your philosophy may be a trifle mixed, but it will untangle itself later on.
Frank Merriwell's Bravery
Burt L. Standish
Sally Ann never failed to locate the trouble or to untangle the yarn.
Susan B. Anthony
Alma Lutz
A cup of chocolate, served by Gothon, helped not a little to untangle his ideas.
The Man With The Broken Ear
Edmond About
I have been spending all the afternoon getting on to the phone to Paris to untangle the muddle.
The Man Who Knew
Edgar Wallace
Those who were actually laboring to untangle the ropes only increased the snarl.
Down the Rhine
Oliver Optic

British Dictionary definitions for untangle

untangle

verb (tr)

to free from a tangled condition
to free from perplexity or confusion

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

Word Origin and History for untangle

v.

1540s, from un- (2) + tangle. Related: Untangled; untangling.

untangle

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}untangle

Examples from the Web for untangle

Contemporary Examples

How will they find legal advice to help them untangle the legal nightmare of applying for and qualifying for asylum?

A few doors down, Jeff Nier was trying to figure out how to untangle the three-car pile-up in his driveway.

Observers, meanwhile, will continue to untangle Magnotta's reality, breaking down the legend he spent years building up online.

It will take an outsider to untangle the pernicious insiders' club that Berlusconi created in the Italian government.

Come Thursday, the Moon causes misunderstandings that you find impossible to untangle.

Historical Examples

Your philosophy may be a trifle mixed, but it will untangle itself later on.

Sally Ann never failed to locate the trouble or to untangle the yarn.

A cup of chocolate, served by Gothon, helped not a little to untangle his ideas.

I have been spending all the afternoon getting on to the phone to Paris to untangle the muddle.

Those who were actually laboring to untangle the ropes only increased the snarl.

untangle

Word Origin and History for untangle

v.

Origin of untangle