Definition of tangle

The word "tangle" originated in the Middle English language during the 1300s. Its root is the Old Norse word "tangl," which means "a knot" or "a loosely stretched net." The Old Norse word "tangl" also had a related meaning, "a web or texture," which contributes to the modern sense of "tangle" as a confused and intricate situation or state. Over time, the word "tangle" evolved in meaning, but it retained its original root. In the 1400s, it came to refer to a physical object or situation that was entangled or twisted, such as a bundle of cords or a messy flood of water. In the 1500s, it began to be used in a figurative sense to describe a complex or jumbled situation or argument. The word's original Old Norse meaning speaks to the universal human experience of getting stuck in knots and webs, whether they are physical or metaphorical. Whether untangling an actual knot or navigating a complex social situation, the word "tangle" serves as a reminder that sometimes the most challenging things in life involve working through snarls and knots to get to the other side.