entangle

/ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/

//ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"entangle" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“entangle” is uncommon English (frequency #74,938 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#74,938
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated.

Corpus desk

Index EN-entangle · entangle · English

entangle · rank #74,938 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #74,938
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH enraging

Nearest frequency peer: enraging (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “entangle”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “entangle” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for entangle
PropertyValue
Headwordentangle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#74,938
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “entangle” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).entanglefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “enraging” (#74,937), “EMV” (#74,935), “Estevez” (#74,942). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “entangle” is #74,938. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

entangle is uncommon English at frequency #74,938 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for entangle in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English entanglen (“to involve [someone] in difficulty”, “to embarrass”). Equivalent to en- + tangle. The correct English form is entangle, spelled E-N-T-A-N-G-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated.
  2. 2
    To involve in such complications as to render extrication difficult.
  3. 3
    To ensnare.
  4. 4
    To involve in difficulties or embarrassments; to embarrass, puzzle, or distract by adverse or perplexing circumstances, interests, demands, etc.; to hamper; to bewilder.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how entangle appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The dolphins became entangled in a fishing net.
  2. But when I turn away, / Thou, willing me to stay, / Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; / But, looking fixedly the while, / All my bounding heart entanglest, / In a golden-netted smile; […]

Etymology

From Middle English entanglen (“to involve [someone] in difficulty”, “to embarrass”). Equivalent to en- + tangle.

This word in other languages

enredar(Español)intriquer(Français)verwickeln(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "entangle"?
"entangle" is spelled E-N-T-A-N-G-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/.
What does "entangle" mean?
As a verb, "entangle" means: To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated.
How do you pronounce "entangle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "entangle" is /ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "entangle"?
From Middle English entanglen (“to involve [someone] in difficulty”, “to embarrass”). Equivalent to en- + tangle. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "entangle", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

enraging#74,937Eleonora#74,930egoistic#74,926efferent#74,925

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list