disentangle
/ˌdɪs.ɪnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To separate things that are twisted, tied, or mixed together. It can also mean to make a complicated situation easier to understand or solve.
- She disentangled the necklace chain.
- We need to disentangle these two problems.
- The lawyer helped disentangle the case.
Adinary Nuance
Disentangle is more specific than untangle. It often suggests careful separation of something messy, tangled, or complicated. It is also used for ideas, problems, and relationships, especially in writing and formal speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- gỡ rối
- Spanish
- desenredar
- Chinese
- 理清
- Japanese
- 解きほぐす
- Korean
- 풀어내다
Etymology
Disentangle appeared in English in the 16th century. It comes from dis- meaning “apart” and entangle, from Old French and earlier roots meaning “to tangle.”
Common phrases
disentangle a problemdisentangle the threadsdisentangle the issuedisentangle yourself from
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is disentangle formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. People use it often in writing, reports, and careful speech.
- What is the difference between disentangle and untangle?
- Untangle usually means free something physically from knots. Disentangle can also mean making a complex idea or situation clearer.
- Can I use disentangle for relationships or business problems?
- Yes. It is common for complicated relationships, plans, and business issues.
- Is disentangle a common word?
- It is known and useful, but not as common in everyday conversation as untangle.