imbroglio
noun
Matt Cartmill
Did you know?
Ever noticed how an imbroglio embroils people in controversy? There’s a reason for that—an etymological one, anyway. Both the noun imbroglio (referring to, among other things, a scandal or bitter argument) and verb embroil (“to involve in conflicts or difficulties”) come from the Middle French word embrouiller, a combination of the prefix en- and brouiller, meaning “to jumble,” though they took slightly different paths. Embroil’s was direct, passing from Middle French through French and into English around the turn of the 16th century. Italians altered embrouiller to form imbrogliare, meaning “to entangle,” which spawned the noun imbroglio that English speakers embraced in the mid-18th century. English imbroglio first referred to a confused mass, and later expanded to cover confusing social situations such as complicated disputes, misunderstandings, and scandals.
Examples of imbroglio in a Sentence
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
But the airport security imbroglio could continue to grow as DHS stays closed, creating more public pressure on officials in both parties.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
The joint litigation claim, which was first filed in 2024, seeks 177 million pounds ($241 million), plus interest, from the company to make up for the plunges in share price following the imbroglio.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
The unusual imbroglio comes amid a multi-year billion-dollar project by UM to replace the aging, relatively Spartan residential facilities from its earliest years with the deluxe, amenity-laden accommodations that the university says are necessary to attract and retain students today.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imbroglio
Cite this Entry
“Imbroglio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imbroglio. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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