1
as in unraveling
to separate the various strands of
gently untangled the baby's hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in freeing
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
I was finally able to untangle myself from my credit problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untangling
Caoodkdk Cable Organizer Instead of spending time untangling your chargers, use this organizer that will neatly store your cords and small devices in one place.
—
Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
As an author, Keefe has specialized in untangling shadowy networks, whether that’s the Provisional IRA or the Sackler family, whose role in the opioid crisis via their ownership of Purdue Pharma was the subject of his book Empire of Pain.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Each new skeleton offers another potential data point for untangling these competing migration narratives.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2026
Creditors confronting both foreign trustees and secured interests must evaluate the cost of untangling each layer.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2026
The layers of deception and betrayal will feel deeply familiar to anyone who spent three seasons untangling Stephen’s lies.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
While staff were momentarily stunned by the sheer volume of the steal, the suspect took advantage of the distraction, untangling himself from the struggle and bolting for the exit before police could arrive.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
As an author, Keefe has specialized in untangling shadowy networks, whether that’s the Provisional IRA or the Sackler family, whose role in the opioid crisis via their ownership of Purdue Pharma was the subject of his book Empire of Pain.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Each new skeleton offers another potential data point for untangling these competing migration narratives.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2026
Creditors confronting both foreign trustees and secured interests must evaluate the cost of untangling each layer.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2026
The layers of deception and betrayal will feel deeply familiar to anyone who spent three seasons untangling Stephen’s lies.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untangling
Verb
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Having these properties taken away without recourse is effectively unraveling generations of effort.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, at home, the government is unraveling.—
John Whitehead,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kerr’s motion offense helped the Warriors become a dynasty by freeing up all-time great jumpshooters Curry and Klay Thompson, but some in the organization believe the offensive attack is too open to 3-point variance, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Anthony Slater.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ultimately, this synergy drives higher ROI while freeing teams from tedious administrative tasks to focus on high-level strategy and end-to-end execution.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lifetime habits of saving and cautious spending are hard to break.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Skipping payments is not an unintentional consequence of saving for debt settlement, though.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The fundamental goal of the 1787 Constitution was to establish a republican form of government — and that meant disentangling the traditional powers of the monarch and placing them in different branches of government.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Embedded in a patriarchal family within an oppressive society, Mrie faces the challenge of disentangling herself from both.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Fort Worth Fire Department was called to the scene to help with extricating four people from the vehicle, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2026
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The alternating timelines force the writers to do a lot of strained connection-building that, around midseason, ceases to be effective; the makers of Scarpetta were very smart about joining the murders narratively, but much less smart about extricating themselves creatively.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In December 2025, the Khartiia Corps led a counterattack in the Kupiansk direction, liberating several villages north of the city and pushing to the Oskil River.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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This election is a profound game-changer, not only for the people, but also the arts, liberating all those who were despised, sidelined or silenced by the corrupt regime.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untangling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untangling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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