tangle Meaning & Definition
What Does Tangle Mean?
Tangle is a verb that means To mix together or intertwine. It is also used to mean To become mixed together or intertwined. As a noun, it means A tangled twisted mass. As a noun, it means Any large type of seaweed, especially a species of Laminaria.
Quick Facts About Tangle
| Part of speech | verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //æ// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | snarl, ravel and sweep |
| Antonyms | unravel, straighten out and disentangle |
| Plural | tangles |
| Verb forms | tangles, tangling, tangled |
Tangle Definition (Verb)
- To mix together or intertwine.
- To become mixed together or intertwined.
Her hair was tangled from a day in the wind.
- To enter into an argument, conflict, dispute, or fight.
Don't tangle with someone three times your size.
- To catch and hold.
Tangle as a Noun
- A tangled twisted mass.
- A complicated or confused state or condition.
I tried to sort through this tangle and got nowhere.
- An argument, conflict, dispute, or fight.
- A region of the projection of a knot such that the knot crosses its perimeter exactly four times.
- A paired helical fragment of tau protein found in a nerve cell and associated with Alzheimer's disease.
- A form of art which consists of sections filled with repetitive patterns.
Noun
- Any large type of seaweed, especially a species of Laminaria.
- An instrument consisting essentially of an iron bar to which are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances, used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea.
- Any long hanging thing, even a lanky person.
Synonyms of Tangle
Antonyms of Tangle
Tangle in a Sentence
Her hair was tangled from a day in the wind.
Don't tangle with someone three times your size.
He tangled with the law.
I tried to sort through this tangle and got nowhere.
Word Forms & Grammar
tangle (third-person singular simple present tangles, present participle tangling, simple past and past participle tangled)
tangle (plural tangles)
tangle (countable and uncountable, plural tangles)
Words That Rhyme With Tangle
Origin of Tangle
Origin 1: From Middle English tanglen, probably of North Germanic origin, compare Swedish taggla (“to disorder”), Old Norse þǫngull, þang (“tangle; seaweed”), see Etymology 2 below.
Origin 2: Of North Germanic origin, such as Danish tang or Swedish tång, from Old Norse þongull, þang. See also Norwegian tongul, Faroese tongul, Icelandic þöngull.
How to Pronounce Tangle
The standard pronunciation of tangle is //æ//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Tangle
Is tangle a verb or a noun?
Tangle is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for tangle?
Words with a similar meaning to tangle include snarl, ravel and sweep. See the full list of tangle synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of tangle?
Words opposite in meaning to tangle are unravel, straighten out, disentangle and untangle.
What is the plural of tangle?
The plural of tangle is tangles.
What is the past tense of tangle?
The past tense of tangle is tangled. The present participle is tangling.