to entangle

Examples

• All

• During the Cold War, churches became entangled in the web of ideological propaganda.

  Academic text (1996)

• As much as possible, Clare had tried not to entangle her sons in this divorce.

  Fiction book (2002)

• The two things, if it were correct, you would not be able to entangle one thing with another.

• But I think now that he and her are now entangled, it's making me go wait.

• Her voice was a connection to the world, but it was entangling him, holding him back.

  Fiction book (2002)

• The already broken immigration system is now entangled with the deeply flawed criminal justice system.

  Academic text (2012)

• Her complicated business plan would entangle her in numerous legal issues if not carefully reviewed.

• He felt entangled in a web of lies that he had created and couldn't find a way out.

• The new regulations may entangle small companies in excessive paperwork and compliance requirements.

Synonyms

I

to involve

vsto entangle

570 4.6

Make a situation or process more complicated and hard to understand

emphasizes being caught in a difficult situation that is hard to escape

T

to tangle

vsto entangle

37 6.0

To involve someone in a difficult situation, often without meaning to

focuses on being involved regardless of intent and difficulty of escape

M

to mire

vsto entangle

29 7.6

To become stuck in mud or a difficult situation

is about complex involvement rather than physical or literal stuckness

L

to lock into

vsto entangle

22 5.8

A situation where you cannot leave an agreement or plan

is more general, covering any difficult entanglement not only formal bindings

E

to ensnare

vsto entangle

13 7.7

To trap someone or something, often by a trick when they are in a difficult situation

is wider, meaning involvement in a hard to escape problem not only traps

E

to enmesh

vsto entangle

9 7.8

To catch something in a net or a difficult situation

is about general involvement in a hard to escape problem

E

to ensnarl

vsto entangle

1 9.3

To catch something in a net or trap so it cannot move

covers broader involvement in a complicated, hard to escape scenario

E

to embrangle

vsto entangle

• Archaic

9.9

To make something more confused or tangled

means being placed into a difficult situation that is hard to leave

Antonyms

L

to liberate

104 4.3

Set someone free from prison or unfair control

U

to untangle

10 3.5

To separate threads or cords that are twisted together

Phrasal Verbs

E

to entangle around

1 6.4

To twist something so it wraps around another thing and gets stuck

How Trapped

to entrap

8 7.2

to ensnare

13 7.7

to entangle

24 6.3

to embroil

22 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology