# wrangle

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈɹæŋɡ(ə)l/ · frequency rank #47,429

## Definitions
1. To convince or influence (someone) by arguing or contending.
2. Followed by out of: to elicit (something) from a person by arguing or bargaining.
3. To speak or write (something) in an argumentative or contentious manner.
4. To spend (time) arguing or quarrelling.
5. To herd (horses or other livestock).
6. To herd (horses or other livestock).
7. To herd (horses or other livestock).
8. Followed by out of: to compel or drive (someone or something) away through arguing.
9. Followed by out: to put forward arguments on (a case, a matter disagreed upon, etc.).
10. To cause (oneself) grief through arguing or quarrelling.
11. To quarrel angrily and noisily; to bicker.
12. To make harsh noises as if quarrelling.
13. To argue, to debate; also (dated), to debate or discuss publicly, especially about a thesis at a university.

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English wranglen, wrangle (“to contend with (someone) in a test of strength; (figuratively) to make misleading arguments to entrap”); from a Middle Dutch or Middle Low German word related to Middle Dutch wrangen and Middle Low German wrangen (“to cause an uproar; to struggle, wrestle”) (whence Low German wrangeln (“to wrangle”)), related to Middle Dutch wringen (“to twist; to wrest; to wring; to struggle, wrestle”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wringaną (“to squeeze; to twist; to wring”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Cognates
* Danish vringle (“to twist, entangle”)
* German rangeln (“to wrestle”)

## Easily confused with
- **wrongly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrangle-vs-wrongly)
- **wrinkle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrangle-vs-wrinkle)
- **wriggle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrangle-vs-wriggle)
- **wrangler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrangle-vs-wrangler)

## Common misspellings (11)
`rwangle`, `warngle`, `wragnle`, `wrangel`, `wranggle`, `wranglle`, `wranlge`, `wranngle`, `wrnagle`, `wrrangle`, `wwrangle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wrangle