Untangle

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈtæŋɡəl/

Definitions of untangle

verb to separate or disentangle something that is twisted or knotted

Example Sentences

A1 I need to untangle my headphones before I can use them.

A2 She tried to untangle the mess of wires behind the TV.

B1 The detective had to untangle the complex web of clues to solve the case.

B2 It took hours to untangle the political situation in the region.

C1 The therapist helped her untangle the deep-seated issues from her childhood.

C2 The negotiator was able to untangle the complicated trade agreement between the two countries.

Examples of untangle in a Sentence

formal It took hours to untangle the complex legal documents.

informal Can you help me untangle these wires?

slang I need to untangle this mess before my boss finds out.

figurative She needed time to untangle her thoughts before making a decision.

Grammatical Forms of untangle

• past tense: untangled
• plural: untangles
• comparative: more untangled
• superlative: most untangled
• present tense: untangle
• future tense: will untangle
• perfect tense: has untangled
• continuous tense: is untangling
• singular: untangle
• positive degree: untangle
• infinitive: to untangle
• gerund: untangling
• participle: untangled

Origin and Evolution of untangle

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'untangle' originated from the combination of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'tangle' meaning 'to twist together into a confused mass'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'untangle' has retained its original meaning of 'to separate twisted or knotted strands' but has also been extended to metaphorical contexts, such as 'to clarify a complicated situation'.