Standard Lemma guide

disentangle

verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • [ˌdɪsɪnˈtæŋɡəɫ]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH2 S AH0 N T AE1 NG G AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To free something from entanglement; to extricate or unknot.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I had to disentangle him from his own shoelaces.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unsnarl, untangle, disentangle, feeze, tease out, unravel

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To unravel; to separate into discrete components or units.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unweave

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To become free or untangled.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • comb your hair before dinner
  • comb the wool

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: comb, comb out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: groom, neaten

Narrower terms: slick, slick down, sleek down, tease, fluff

5

verb

Meaning 5

extricate from entanglement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Can you disentangle the cord?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unsnarl, straighten out

Antonyms: entangle

Broader terms: order

Narrower terms: tease, tease apart, loosen, ravel, unravel, ravel out

6

verb

Meaning 6

separate the tangles of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unwind

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: undo

Narrower terms: roll out, straighten, uncoil

7

verb

Meaning 7

release from entanglement of difficulty

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I cannot extricate myself from this task

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: extricate, untangle, disencumber

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: free, disengage

8

verb

Meaning 8

free from involvement or entanglement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • How can I disentangle myself from her personal affairs?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disinvolve, disembroil

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: free, discharge

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- Middle English entanglen English entangle English disentangle From dis- + entangle.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: разплитам (razplitam) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Bulgarian: размотавам (razmotavam) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Catalan: desembullar — extricate — see also untangle
  • Finnish: vapauttaa — extricate — see also untangle
  • Finnish: irrottaa — extricate — see also untangle
  • French: démêler — extricate — see also untangle
  • Greek: ξεμπερδεύω (xemperdévo) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Greek: ξεμπλέκω (xempléko) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Italian: sbrogliare — extricate — see also untangle
  • Italian: districare — extricate — see also untangle
  • Italian: disimbrogliare — extricate — see also untangle
  • Latin: extrīcō — extricate — see also untangle
  • Māori: ui — extricate — see also untangle
  • Māori: wete — extricate — see also untangle
  • Occitan: destrenar — extricate — see also untangle
  • Occitan: desnosar — extricate — see also untangle
  • Polish: odplatać — extricate — see also untangle
  • Polish: odpleść — extricate — see also untangle
  • Polish: rozplątywać — extricate — see also untangle
  • Polish: rozplątać — extricate — see also untangle
  • Portuguese: desembaraçar — extricate — see also untangle
  • Russian: выпутывать (vyputyvatʹ) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Russian: высвобождать (vysvoboždatʹ) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Russian: распутывать (rasputyvatʹ) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Russian: распутываться (rasputyvatʹsja) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Russian: распутаться (rasputatʹsja) — extricate — see also untangle
  • Spanish: desenredar — extricate — see also untangle
  • Telugu: చిక్కుదీయు (cikkudīyu) — extricate — see also untangle
Real reading context

disentangle in complete knowledge articles

Victoria Hall disaster Ideas & learning · Challenging · 1 uses