entangles

verb

present tense third-person singular of entangle
1
as in knots
to twist together into a usually confused mass in the process of taking down the Christmas tree, we managed to entangle the string of lights into a hopeless mess of wires

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in traps
to catch or hold as if in a net the young runaway gradually became entangled in a web of lies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in complicates
to make complex or difficult the history of Alexander the Great is entangled by variant accounts of his exploits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of entangles The prolonged fight entangles Hollywood power players, Middle Eastern royals, writers unions and Washington, raising fresh questions about media consolidation ahead of pivotal midterm elections. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026 Noah Thomas’s life takes a dangerous turn when a chance reunion with an old high school friend, Parker Coleman, entangles him in a ruthless crime ring. — Jon Stojan, Variety, 18 June 2026 Two differing criminal factions want a load of cocaine, but when a poor farmer named Kaalayan (Guru Somasundaram) gets wind of it, his life briefly entangles with the crime bosses, resulting in a bloody final showdown and a delightful twist ending. — Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 From there, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed sends Maslany’s character along an ever-spiraling and darkening mystery, which entangles her co-workers at the magazine (played by Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg and Charlie Hall), complicates that custody battle, and puts her under ever more pressure. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 May 2026 This choice entangles Iris with Geoff and his father, a kind of archivist for a shadowy secret society, and a hapless man. — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 The net opens mid-air, entangles the drone and deploys a parachute so everything comes down safely. — Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026 But when a tree entangles with your plumbing, feelings can change. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026 The darkly comic story follows Shy and Lola, two very different women who are forced to become allies when a murder entangles them in the criminal underworld operating in Shy’s small coastal town in the North of England. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entangles
  1. knots
  2. traps
  3. complicates
  4. tangles
  5. ensnares
  6. intensifies
  7. intertwines
  8. entraps
Verb
  • No matter how many knots a lawyer ties themselves in to get there, legality is not legitimacy.
    — Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2025
  • Stories like these usually lurch from one contrivance and complication to the next, but Chad Powers knots itself into a genuinely thorny conflict by the finale.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of knots
Verb
  • Dropping the voltage just below copper’s reaction threshold transforms the electrode into a metal magnet that selectively traps copper on its surface while letting background salts flow through.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • New data reveals work stress traps individuals in a negative feedback loop, severely impacting sleep and overall performance.
    — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of traps
Verb
  • Spanish centre-back Asencio suffered a muscle injury last week that will keep him out of action for at least a month, which complicates any potential move.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This development complicates Barcelona's pursuit, especially given their ongoing financial fair play constraints.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicates
Verb
  • But consent decrees are legally and politically complicated, and the treatment of migrant children further tangles the situation.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • Wire pin or slicker brushes work best for dogs with long hair that tangles easily.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of tangles
Verb
  • Sorsby, who is already a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NCAA and a defendant in a lawsuit brought by the University of Cincinnati, could become a party or key witness in other litigation that ensnares colleges, a conference, the NCAA and even the State of Texas.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 June 2026
  • Eventually, the trio of men ensnares everyone in this family into their trap, their demands unveiling over a claustrophobic feature-length as various tables and allegiances are turned back and forth.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Definition of ensnares
Verb
  • This move intensifies existing rivalries, notably with the Boston Celtics following the Jaylen Brown trade.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The president addressed a smaller, heavily secured gathering Friday as his administration intensifies its legal and rhetorical attacks on journalists.
    — Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 24 July 2026
Definition of intensifies
Verb
  • The show intertwines the two mythic love stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone, as Orpheus must go down to Hades’ underworld to rescue Eurydice after hard times befall the couple.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
  • The Ronnie Wood suite, for example, transports you to a unique world that intertwines Art Deco with the Rolling Stones' rock and roll.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
Definition of intertwines
Verb
  • This superb thriller about an obsessed fan (Kathy Bates) who rescues, and then entraps, a best-selling author (James Caan) still stands as an edge-of-your-seat experience.
    — Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Definition of entraps

Browse Nearby Words

entanglements
entangles
entangling
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Cite this Entry

“Entangles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entangles. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of entangles for Spanish Speakers

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