Word
tangle
Phoneticstan·gle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtæŋɡəɫ/
UK/tˈæŋɡəl/
Definitions
01twisted mass
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a messy group of things like hair, string, or branches that are twisted together.
n. a confused, intertwined mass of fibers, hair, or other long strands.
“She spent twenty minutes trying to brush a large tangle out of her hair.”
“The old fishing nets lay in a salt-crusted tangle on the deck, making it impossible for the crew to move quickly during the storm.”
02confused situation
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a complicated situation or set of problems that is difficult to understand or fix.
n. a state of confusion or a complicated, messy situation.
“The lawyer had to sort through a tangle of legal documents to find the truth.”
“The merger resulted in a bureaucratic tangle that delayed the product launch by several months.”
03mathematics
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical
n. a specific way that strings or lines cross each other in a mathematical shape.
n. A region of a knot projection where the knot crosses the boundary exactly four times.
“The professor explained how a tangle is used to study the geometry of knots.”
“In knot theory, an n-tangle consists of n arcs in a 3-ball whose endpoints lie on the boundary sphere.”
04to twist together
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to become twisted together in a messy way, or to make something do this.
v. to become intertwined or to cause something to become a confused mass.
“The headphone wires always tangle when I put them in my pocket.”
“The kite string began to tangle in the upper branches of the oak tree as the wind died down.”
Antonyms
05to fight or argue
C1 · Advanced Informal
v. to get involved in an argument or a fight with someone.
v. to enter into a conflict, dispute, or physical fight with an opponent.
“I wouldn't tangle with him; he is the best debater in the school.”
“The small startup was hesitant to tangle with the industry giant in a lengthy patent dispute.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' to describe the material involved.
Real-World Examples
“Wearing is still tangling with those questions, some 30 years after her student days.” Etymology
From Middle English tanglen, probably of North Germanic origin, compare Swedish taggla (“to disorder”), Old Norse þǫngull, þang (“tangle; seaweed”), see Etymology 2 below.
Of North Germanic origin, such as Danish tang or Swedish tång, from Old Norse þongull, þang. See also Norwegian tongul, Faroese tongul, Icelandic þöngull.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/tangle