untangle

/ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/

//ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl// verb

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

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

The verdict

“untangle” is an uncommon English word, ranked #50,878 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#50,878
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To remove tangles or knots from.

Key facts for untangle
PropertyValue
Headworduntangle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#50,878
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “untangle” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for untangle is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #50,878 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for untangle, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + tangle. The correct English form is untangle, spelled U-N-T-A-N-G-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove tangles or knots from.
  2. 2
    To remove confusion or mystery from.

Etymology

From un- + tangle.

Synonyms

disentanglefeezetease outunravelunsnarluntangle

Antonyms

tangle

This word in other languages

dénatter(Français)entwirren(Deutsch)desembaraçar(Português)

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 "untangle"?
"untangle" is spelled U-N-T-A-N-G-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/.
What does "untangle" mean?
As a verb, "untangle" means: To remove tangles or knots from.
How do you pronounce "untangle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "untangle" is /ʌnˈtæŋ.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 "untangle"?
From un- + 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.

Using “untangle”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is U-N-T-A-N-G-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list