1
as in to unravel
to separate the various strands of
gently untangled the baby's hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disentangle
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
I was finally able to untangle myself from my credit problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of untangle
Scientists are still untangling how meal size and timing might affect health.
—
Alice Callahan, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
Further research can help untangle the complex relationship between external stressors, media consumption and youth well-being, shedding light on how to best support adolescents during this formative stage of life.
—Yalda T. Uhls, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2025
The large, flexible baskets excel in soft snow and are easy to untangle from grabby brush, while the ergonomic straps offer comfortable support over long distances.
—Katie Bradish, Outside Online, 15 Jan. 2025
As linguists and geneticists continue to untangle the origins of Indo-European languages, one thing is clear—the story of language is one of movement, change and cultural exchange, far from the rigid, nationalist narratives of the past.
—Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untangle
Alice Callahan, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
Further research can help untangle the complex relationship between external stressors, media consumption and youth well-being, shedding light on how to best support adolescents during this formative stage of life.
—Yalda T. Uhls, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2025
The large, flexible baskets excel in soft snow and are easy to untangle from grabby brush, while the ergonomic straps offer comfortable support over long distances.
—Katie Bradish, Outside Online, 15 Jan. 2025
As linguists and geneticists continue to untangle the origins of Indo-European languages, one thing is clear—the story of language is one of movement, change and cultural exchange, far from the rigid, nationalist narratives of the past.
—Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untangle
Verb
-
Melanie does that beautifully, unraveling through rage.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Though the part is small, Hildy and her community are pivotal to unraveling the propaganda that has shaped this future dystopia, where people’s thoughts are heard aloud and an egomaniacal would-be dictator, played with gusto by Mads Mikkelsen, uses this vulnerability to control them.—
Sezin Koehler,
EW.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The ensuing book, a taut, enthralling hybrid of fact and fiction impossible to disentangle, situates itself firmly in the mess — in a host of contradictions and uncertainties.—
Emily Eakin,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
-
That changed in 2021 under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, as part of an effort to disentangle finances between the city and the district.—
Ikram Mohamed,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
He was released by Hamas earlier this month after 484 days of captivity, one of the 19 Israeli hostages freed alive under the January 2025 ceasefire deal.—
Mohammed Tawfeeq,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The idea is to free you up to comfortably use the car's infotainment screen, talk to co-passengers, and catch up on books or videos on long journeys and commutes.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Capping them could save $5 billion a year, or $225 per fee-paying household.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Put another way, in this view, well-off people who choose to live in profligate spending states shouldn’t get to deduct state and local taxes on their federal returns, saving large amounts of money ahead of each April 15.—
David Mark,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Listen to this article A two-car crash in Shelton on Wednesday night sent two people to the hospital, including one who had to be extricated from a vehicle.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Three people were trapped inside one of the vehicles before they were extricated out, per CBS Miami.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Artist and rapper Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, herself formerly incarcerated and commissioned to create a new work for the Rikers women, worked with Ringgold, politicians, artists, philanthropists, and corrections officers to liberate the original painting.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Tragically, Hunt notes, the same global commodity that may have helped liberate British women did the opposite for West Africans, who endured the Middle Passage in ever larger numbers to work as slaves in the Caribbean sugar fields and sweeten English tea.—
Marjoleine Kars,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Keep the records until the loan is paid off, and for three years after that, Gallegos said. Treasury bond records: Keep them until the bonds are redeemed.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Best of all, guests can earn or redeem Accor Live Limitless points when staying here.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Where ardent nationalists were the oldest group, the disengaged were the youngest.—
Laura Clawson,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Feb. 2025
-
With 40% of leaders contemplating resignation due to burnout, top talent is either stepping down or disengaging, leaving organizations vulnerable to performance decline and talent gaps.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untangle. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share