Tangles — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈtaŋ-gəl/ tan·gle

Meaning & Definition of Tangles

Tangles (verb)

  1. to unite or knit together in intricate confusion
  2. to involve so as to hamper, obstruct, or embarrass
  3. to seize and hold in or as if in a snare, entrap
  4. to fight or argue with (someone or something)

Tangles (noun)

  1. a matted, twisted mass, snarl
  2. a complicated or confused state or condition
  3. a state of perplexity or complete bewilderment
  4. a large seaweed
  5. a pathological accumulation of paired helical filaments composed of abnormally formed tau protein that is found chiefly in the cytoplasm of neurons of the brain and especially the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and that occurs typically in Alzheimer's disease

Tangles (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state of mental uncertainty

    "my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance"

    similar: bafflements, bamboozlements, befuddlements, bemusements, bewilderments, confusions, discombobulations, distractions, fogs, head-scratchings, mazes (chiefly dialect), muddles, mystifications, perplexities, puzzlements, whirls
    related: abashments, discomfitures, disconcertments, embarrassments, mortifications, agitations, chagrins, discomforts, dismays, disquiets, distresses, disturbances, perturbations, upsets, bothers, commotions, dithers, flurries, flusters, fusses, stews, turmoils
    near: assurances, certainties, certitudes, confidences, convictions

Tangles (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to catch or hold as if in a net

    "was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone"

    similar: catches up, enmeshes, ensnares, ensnarls, entangles, entoils, entraps, meshes, nets, snares, traps
    related: bags, birdlimes, captures, collars, embroils, implicates, involves, mires
    opposite: disentangles, untangles
    near: detaches, disengages, extricates, clears, frees, liberates

  2. to twist together into a usually confused mass

    "that darn cat tangled the yarn I was trying to knit with"

    similar: entangles, interlaces, intertwines, intertwists, interweaves, knots, snarls
    related: jumbles, scrabbles, scrambles, braids, enlaces, entwines, entwists, inweaves, plaits, twines, weaves, winds, wreathes, writhes
    opposite: disentangles, unsnarls, untangles, untwines, untwists
    near: unknots, unravels, unscrambles, unweaves

Related Entry: Tangle (noun)

Tangle is a different word from Tangles. The synonyms below are for tangle, not for tangles.

  1. a state of mental uncertainty

    "my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance"

    similar: bafflement, bamboozlement, befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderedness, bewilderment, confusedness, confusion, discombobulation, distraction, fog, head-scratching, maze (chiefly dialect), muddle, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement, whirl
    related: abashment, discomfiture, disconcertment, embarrassment, mortification, agitation, chagrin, discomfort, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturbance, perturbation, upset, bother, commotion, dither, flurry, fluster, fuss, stew, turmoil
    near: assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, positiveness, sureness

Related Entry: Tangle (verb)

Tangle is a different word from Tangles. The synonyms below are for tangle, not for tangles.

  1. to catch or hold as if in a net

    "was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone"

    similar: catch up, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle, entoil, entrap, mesh, net, snare, trap
    related: bag, birdlime, capture, collar, embroil, implicate, involve, mire
    opposite: disentangle, untangle
    near: detach, disengage, extricate, clear, free, liberate

  2. to twist together into a usually confused mass

    "that darn cat tangled the yarn I was trying to knit with"

    similar: entangle, interlace, intertwine, intertwist, interweave, knot, snarl
    related: jumble, scrabble, scramble, braid, enlace, entwine, entwist, inweave, plait, twine, weave, wind, wreathe, writhe
    opposite: disentangle, unsnarl, untangle, untwine, untwist
    near: unknot, unravel, unscramble, unweave

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tangles

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tangles:

Chiefly dialect: mazes
bafflements, bamboozlements, befuddlements, bemusements, bewilderments, confusions, discombobulations, distractions, fogs, head-scratchings, muddles, mystifications, perplexities, puzzlements, whirls, catches up, enmeshes, ensnares, ensnarls, entangles, entoils, entraps, meshes, nets, snares, traps, interlaces, intertwines, intertwists, interweaves, knots, snarls

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Tangles

Words with the opposite meaning of Tangles:

disentangles, untangles, unsnarls, untwines, untwists

Related Words for Tangles

abashments, discomfitures, disconcertments, embarrassments, mortifications, agitations, chagrins, discomforts, dismays, disquiets, distresses, disturbances, perturbations, upsets, bothers, commotions, dithers, flurries, flusters, fusses, stews, turmoils, bags, birdlimes, captures, collars, embroils, implicates, involves, mires

Near Antonyms of Tangles

assurances, certainties, certitudes, confidences, convictions, detaches, disengages, extricates, clears, frees, liberates, unknots, unravels, unscrambles, unweaves

Word Forms of Tangles

Inflections: tangled, tangling, tangled with, tangling with, tangles with

Origin & Etymology of Tangles

Middle English tanglen, tagilen, probably short for entanglen, from Anglo-French entagler, entangler to prosecute (for), implicate

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Tangles

What does "Tangles" mean?

"Tangles" means to unite or knit together in intricate confusion. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to unite or knit together in intricate confusion. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tangles"?

Other words for "Tangles" include bafflements, bamboozlements, befuddlements, bemusements, bewilderments, confusions, discombobulations and distractions. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tangles" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tangles"?

There are 77 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tangles". Common alternatives include bafflements, bamboozlements, befuddlements, bemusements, bewilderments, confusions, discombobulations, distractions, fogs and head-scratchings.

What is the opposite of "Tangles"?

Antonyms of "Tangles" include disentangles, untangles, unsnarls, untwines and untwists. Near antonyms include assurances, certainties, certitudes and confidences.

How do you use "Tangles" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tangles" in a sentence: "my mind's been in a tangle ever since I learned some disturbing information about an online acquaintance"; "was at last tangled in the web of lies that he had told to everyone"; "that darn cat tangled the yarn I was trying to knit with".

Is "Tangles" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tangles" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Tangles"?

"Tangles" is pronounced /ˈtaŋ-gəl/ and divided into syllables as tan·gle.

What is the origin of the word "Tangles"?

"Tangles" comes from Middle English tanglen, tagilen, probably short for entanglen, from Anglo-French entagler, entangler to prosecute (for), implicate. First known use: 14th centuryt.