What does entangle mean?
Entangle is a verb meaning to cause something to become twisted together or caught within something else — fishing lines, hair, wires, or undergrowth can all be entangled. By extension, it is widely used figuratively: to be entangled in a dispute, a legal case, or a romantic relationship is to be caught up in a situation so complicated that escaping is difficult. The word is most common in its passive forms ('was entangled', 'got entangled'), which carry a connotation of being trapped against one's will or better judgment. It appears frequently in journalism, law, and literature, where precision about who or what has ensnared whom matters. Derived forms include the adjective 'entangled' and the noun 'entanglement', the latter especially common in physics, where quantum entanglement describes particles whose states are inseparably linked. The word's vivid physical imagery makes it a powerful choice for describing both literal knots and human complications.
verbTo cause something to become twisted together with or caught in something else; to involve someone in a complicated or difficult situation from which it is hard to escape.
- To twist together or become caught in something (literal).
- To involve someone in a complicated situation, often one difficult to escape (figurative).
"The fishing lines became hopelessly entangled around the propeller."
"The hiker's bootlaces entangled in the brambles as she climbed the fence."
"He became entangled in a lengthy legal dispute over the property."
The word 'entangle' hides a sea creature: its root 'tangle' may trace back to a Scandinavian source, and fishermen were using it long before lawyers made it figurative.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of entangle
Entangle derives from 'en-' (from French, ultimately Latin) combined with 'tangle', a word of uncertain origin but likely Scandinavian, related to dialectal terms for tangled seaweed. The compound emerged in English in the late 16th or early 17th century, first in literal senses before developing figurative uses involving complications and involvement. Its root connection to 'tangle' makes it cognate with related words like 'untangle' and the noun 'entanglement'.
Related word forms
How entangle is actually used
Often used in the passive ('be/become/get entangled'), especially in figurative senses involving relationships, politics, or law. Slightly formal register; everyday speech may prefer 'caught up in' for the figurative sense.
Easily confused with entangle
Entrenched means firmly established and hard to change, whereas entangled means twisted together or caught up in something.