verb C1 Advanced

tangle

TANG-guhl

Tangle (verb) means to twist together into a knotted, confused mass. Example: “Her hair tangled badly in the wind.”

verb

To twist together into a knotted, confused mass.

"Her hair tangled badly in the wind."

"The fishing lines tangled together in the tackle box."

To get into a fight, argument, or dispute with someone.

"He didn't want to tangle with his boss over the schedule."

noun

A twisted, knotted mass, or a confused, complicated situation.

"She spent an hour combing out the tangle in her hair."

"The contract turned into a legal tangle."

How to use tangle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo twist into a knotted mess, or to get caught up in a dispute — also used as a noun for the resulting knot or mess.

Common pairings

tangle with someone a tangle of wires get tangled up

Word forms

tangled past tense, tangles plural, tangles plural, tangles singular

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Her hair _____ badly in the wind.

Etymology

From Middle English tanglen, likely of North Germanic origin, related to Old Norse words for seaweed and disorder.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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enmesh ensnare entangle ensnarl foul implicate imply involve mat ravel snarl

Antonyms

untangle

Related words

bad nice include explain mix dirty destroy gross

Rhymes for tangle

angle mangle bangle dangle jangle wrangle triangle untangle strangle rectangle

See all rhymes for tangle →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tangle” mean?

The word “tangle” means to twist together into a knotted, confused mass. In plain terms, to twist into a knotted mess, or to get caught up in a dispute — also used as a noun for the resulting knot or mess.

How do you pronounce “tangle”?

“Tangle” is pronounced TANG-guhl (/ˈteɪ̯ŋɡəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “tangle” in a sentence?

Here is “tangle” used in a sentence: “Her hair tangled badly in the wind.”

What is another word for “tangle”?

Words with a similar meaning to “tangle” include enmesh, ensnare, entangle, ensnarl, foul and implicate.

What is the opposite of “tangle”?

The opposite of “tangle” — its antonyms — is untangle.

What part of speech is “tangle”?

Depending on how it is used, “tangle” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “tangle” come from?

The word “tangle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English tanglen, likely of North Germanic origin, related to Old Norse words for seaweed and disorder.

How many meanings does “tangle” have?

“Tangle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to twist together into a knotted, confused mass.

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