as in confusions
a state of mental uncertainty
my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in traps
to catch or hold as if in a net
was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in knots
to twist together into a usually confused mass
that darn cat tangled the yarn I was trying to knit with
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 tangles
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
The administration’s evolving guidance and questioning of scientific and pharmaceutical company clinical trials have sparked adaptations by states to try to clear the tangles.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
English also says that protective or tight styles can also lead to matting if left in too long, by compacting tangles at the base.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
Peralta leaders had kicked around the idea for years but avoided discussing it in concrete terms, with bureaucratic tangles often getting in the way.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Lithium orotate helped the mice reduce production of the amyloid plaques and tau tangles, and allowed the microglial cells to remove the plaques much more effectively.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Owners often need to brush them weekly, if not daily, during peak shedding seasons, with coat rakes or shedding tools recommended to keep tangles at bay.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
The thread tangles at the other end, too.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Wet-Dry Vacuum Ideal for pet owners, the brush roll avoids hair tangles and helps lift up fur and dander while minimizing clogs.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Expect flocks of vibrant flamingos and tiny flitting hummingbirds spreading their wings over the turquoise waters and tangles of mangroves that unfold across lagoons that stretch parallel to the sea.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
The administration’s evolving guidance and questioning of scientific and pharmaceutical company clinical trials have sparked adaptations by states to try to clear the tangles.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
English also says that protective or tight styles can also lead to matting if left in too long, by compacting tangles at the base.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
Peralta leaders had kicked around the idea for years but avoided discussing it in concrete terms, with bureaucratic tangles often getting in the way.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Lithium orotate helped the mice reduce production of the amyloid plaques and tau tangles, and allowed the microglial cells to remove the plaques much more effectively.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Owners often need to brush them weekly, if not daily, during peak shedding seasons, with coat rakes or shedding tools recommended to keep tangles at bay.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
The thread tangles at the other end, too.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Wet-Dry Vacuum Ideal for pet owners, the brush roll avoids hair tangles and helps lift up fur and dander while minimizing clogs.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangles
traps
Verb
-
At the top of that list is a hyaluronic acid serum that traps moisture and leaves my skin noticeably plump and dewy.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The freezing rain then traps lichen under a thick layer of ice where hungry reindeer can’t reach the food, according to Anna Skarin, a reindeer husbandry expert and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences professor.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangles. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share