verb C1 Advanced

wrangle

RANG-guhl

Wrangle (verb) means to argue or quarrel at length, often noisily. Example: “The two lawyers wrangled over the contract for hours.”

verb

To argue or quarrel at length, often noisily.

"The two lawyers wrangled over the contract for hours."

To herd or manage animals, or by extension, people or data.

"He spent the summer wrangling cattle on the ranch."

"She spends most of her job wrangling messy spreadsheets into shape."

noun

A long, noisy argument.

"The meeting turned into a wrangle over budget cuts."

How to use wrangle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo argue at length, or to herd/manage something (animals, people, or unruly data).

Common pairings

wrangle over data wrangling cattle wrangler

Word forms

wrangled past tense, wrangle plural, wrangled plural, wrangles plural, wrangles singular, wrangle singular, wrangled singular, wranglest singular, wrangledst singular, wrangleth singular

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The two lawyers _____ over the contract for hours.

Etymology

From Middle English wranglen, related to a Low German word meaning "to struggle or wrestle" — the same root behind "wring."

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for wrangle

angle tangle mangle bangle dangle jangle triangle untangle strangle rectangle

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Frequently asked questions

What does “wrangle” mean?

The word “wrangle” means to argue or quarrel at length, often noisily. In plain terms, to argue at length, or to herd/manage something (animals, people, or unruly data).

How do you pronounce “wrangle”?

“Wrangle” is pronounced RANG-guhl (/ˈɹeɪ̯ŋɡəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “wrangle” in a sentence?

Here is “wrangle” used in a sentence: “The two lawyers wrangled over the contract for hours.”

What part of speech is “wrangle”?

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

Where does the word “wrangle” come from?

The word “wrangle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English wranglen, related to a Low German word meaning "to struggle or wrestle" — the same root behind "wring.".

How many meanings does “wrangle” have?

“Wrangle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to argue or quarrel at length, often noisily.

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