Tangle: meaning, definitions and examples

Note: 'tangle' was mentioned twice. See the first entry for 'tangle'.

Usually employed when describing something being twisted or woven together in a more graceful or deliberate manner, often with a sense of intimacy or connection.

• The vines entwine around the old oak tree.
• Their fingers entwined as they walked down the beach.

This term often means a situation where something is completely twisted together in a very messy and troublesome way. It has a negative connotation.

• Traffic was snarled for miles due to the accident.
• The yarn got into an awful snarl.

This word is chosen when something or someone is trapped or complicated by being twisted with something else. Often used for situations involving difficulty or complexity, such as legal issues or relationships.

• The dolphin was entangled in the fishing net.
• He got entangled in a web of deceit.

Tangle is used when something is twisted together in a way that is not easy to separate.

• Her hair was in a tangle after the ride.
• The wires were all in a tangle behind the computer.

Mess describes a state of disorder and clutter, often used in a physical sense but can also refer to disorganized situations.

• His room was such a mess.
• The project turned into a mess after the manager left.

Confusion refers to a state where someone is uncertain or unclear about something.

• There was a lot of confusion about the new schedule.
• His sudden departure caused great confusion among the staff.

Snarl is often used to describe something that is intricately and frustratingly tangled, like traffic or yarn. It can have a negative connotation.

• The traffic was snarled for miles.
• She tried to untangle the snarl of threads.