What does entangled mean?
Entangled is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'to entangle,' and it also functions as an adjective describing something caught or twisted together with something else in a way that resists easy separation. In its literal sense, it describes physical interweaving — ropes, hair, nets, or wires knotted into one another. More often, however, English speakers use 'entangled' figuratively to describe someone deeply involved in a complicated, difficult, or compromising situation: a company may become entangled in litigation, or two people romantically entangled. The word carries a connotation of difficulty and often of unwanted or unintended involvement; one rarely chooses to be entangled. It appears frequently in marine conservation contexts, legal prose, and popular accounts of quantum physics, where 'entanglement' describes particles whose states are inseparably linked regardless of distance. Derived forms include 'entanglement' and 'entangling.'
Past tense and past participle of entangle: to twist together or catch in something, or to involve someone in a complicated situation.
"She quickly untangled her hair after it had become entangled in the zipper."
Often used with 'become' or 'get' in passive-like constructions.
Twisted together in a confused mass; involved in a complicated or undesirable situation.
"They found themselves in an entangled web of debt and obligation."
The same root that gives 'entangled' its sense of being caught up — the Latin 'angulus', meaning corner or bend — also gave us 'angle' and even 'ankle'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of entangled
Entangle comes from the prefix 'en-' (meaning 'to cause to be') combined with 'tangle,' which likely derives from Old Norse. The root traces back further to the notion of bending or twisting, sharing ancestry with words like 'angle' and 'ankle' via Latin 'angulus.' The word has been used in English since at least the Middle Ages, developing its figurative sense of being involved in difficulties alongside its literal meaning of being physically twisted together.
Related word forms
How entangled is actually used
Commonly used both literally and figuratively. The figurative use often carries a negative connotation of unwanted complexity or involvement. Frequently appears in scientific writing about marine life and physics (e.g., 'quantum entanglement'), as well as in legal and romantic contexts.
Easily confused with entangled
'Entangled' means twisted up together or caught in complications, while 'enthralling' means captivating or fascinating.