Entangle

//ɪnˈtæŋ.ɡəl// verb

verb ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated. transitive

    "The dolphins became entangled in a fishing net."

  2. 2
    twist together or entwine into a confusing mass wordnet
  3. 3
    To involve in such complications as to render extrication difficult. transitive
  4. 4
    entrap wordnet
  5. 5
    To ensnare. figuratively, transitive

    "But when I turn away, / Thou, willing me to stay, / Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; / But, looking fixedly the while, / All my bounding heart entanglest, / In a golden-netted smile; […]"

Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    To involve in difficulties or embarrassments; to embarrass, puzzle, or distract by adverse or perplexing circumstances, interests, demands, etc.; to hamper; to bewilder. transitive

Synonyms

All synonyms
ensnareimplicateinvolvematsnarltangle

Example

More examples

"Your culture deems that sexuality is unintelligent. I come from a different culture, in which intellectuality may entangle with lust."

Etymology

From Middle English entanglen (“to involve [someone] in difficulty”, “to embarrass”). Equivalent to en- + tangle.

Related phrases

tangle up

More for "entangle"

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.