wrangler
Americannoun
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wranglers
plural
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a cowboy, especially one in charge of saddle horses.
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a person who wrangles or disputes.
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(at Cambridge University, England) a person placed in the first class in the mathematics tripos.
noun
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one who wrangles
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a herder; cowboy
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a person who handles or controls animals involved in the making of a film or television programme
a snake wrangler
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(at Cambridge University) a candidate who has obtained first-class honours in Part II of the mathematics tripos. The wrangler with the highest marks is called the senior wrangler
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of wrangler
1505–15; wrangle + -er 1; wrangler ( def. 1 ) originally horse-wrangler, probably partial translation of Mexican Spanish caballerango groom, stable boy, with -erango suggesting wrangler
Explanation
A wrangler primarily manages horses and livestock. The term can also describe a teacher skillfully controlling rowdy first graders, or even someone adept at handling disputes and arguments. The word wrangler comes from the Old High German wrangal, meaning "to struggle," reflecting the tough job of managing livestock. It typically describes those who care for horses or cattle. The term can also playfully refer to anyone skilled at handling noisy groups, like a teacher who masterfully manages a bunch of energetic children. When applied to someone argumentative, wrangler refers to a person who is passionate and loud in disputes, engaging in debates with the intensity of a cowboy managing unruly horses.
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.
See Examples For:
In a league where job security these days ranks somewhere between knife juggler and gator wrangler, the 44-year-old Spaniard is one of only three managers even hired before 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Alongside her duties as a maths teacher and assistant head, Amanda has become chief puppy wrangler too.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
One press wrangler got particularly testy about entry, prompting one veteran reporter to ask “Are they going to fingerprint us too?” as they worked their way toward the president.
From Salon ● Nov. 28, 2024
About six feet behind them, another cat wrangler was hidden in the ceiling with a matching cat positioned above an already scored ceiling tile so that the matching cat could be more safely dropped.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2024
“Jubilee? Abby has been talking nonstop about you. I’m Frank: mayor’s husband, cook, dinosaur wrangler, and Abby’s dad. You hungry? I’m making burgers.”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Gameway calls them wranglers because they are trained to lasso curious travelers heading for their gates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Much attention so far has focused on A.I. wranglers like Buscaglia whose offerings can compete with those of human writers and illustrators.
From Slate ● May 21, 2025
“No. Sorry,” the official said, as another pooler noted that wranglers looked on “sheepishly.”
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2025
It took five dark-suited wranglers to help her get the skirt up the stairs, but hey, fantasy comes at a cost.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2024
And as for the punchers and wranglers, they were every one as loyal to Snuggy as they had been to her father.
From The Girl from Sunset Ranch Or, Alone in a Great City by Amy Bell Marlowe
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
