Pronunciation: /ˈtæŋɡəl/

Definitions of tangle

noun a confused mass of something twisted together

Example Sentences

A1 I got my hair in a tangle after playing outside all day.

A2 The wires under my desk are a tangled mess.

B1 The fisherman carefully untangled the fishing line from the tangle of seaweed.

B2 The complicated legal case was a tangled web of deceit and manipulation.

C1 The intricate relationship dynamics in the novel created a tangled web of emotions.

C2 The detective spent hours unraveling the tangled web of clues to solve the mystery.

verb to twist together into a confused mass

Example Sentences

A1 The cat tangles itself in yarn.

A2 She tangles her hair when she doesn't brush it.

B1 The wires behind the TV are all tangled up.

B2 The climbers got tangled in the ropes during their ascent.

C1 The legal case became tangled in a web of conflicting evidence.

C2 The intricate plot of the novel tangles the reader in a web of suspense.

Examples of tangle in a Sentence

formal The wires were in a tangled mess, making it difficult to identify which one was causing the issue.

informal I accidentally tangled up my headphones in my bag and now they're a mess.

slang I tried to detangle my hair after swimming, but it was so knotted up.

figurative The political situation became a tangled web of lies and deceit.

Grammatical Forms of tangle

past tense

tangled

plural

tangles

comparative

more tangled

superlative

most tangled

present tense

tangle

future tense

will tangle

perfect tense

have tangled

continuous tense

is tangling

singular

tangle

positive degree

tangled

infinitive

to tangle

gerund

tangling

participle

tangled

Origin and Evolution of tangle

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'tangle' originated from the Old English word 'tangol', which meant seaweed or algae.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'tangle' expanded to refer to a twisted or knotted mass of something, not just limited to seaweed. It also came to be used metaphorically to describe a complicated or confused situation.