Definition
To twist or mix things together in a messy, complicated way that is hard to separate. It can also mean to become involved in a difficult situation or conflict.
Example
The children's kite strings got tangled in the tree.
Show translation
The children's kite strings got twisted together and stuck in the tree.
Etymology
From Middle English *tangilen*, likely related to Low German *tangeln* (to entangle) or Old Swedish *taggla* (to disarrange). The root may also connect to Old Norse *þöng* (a seaweed, which famously clumps and entangles). By the 17th century, the figurative sense — becoming caught up in a conflict or difficult situation — was firmly established in English.
Cultural note
In American English, "to tangle with someone" is a vivid colloquial phrase meaning to get into a fight or argument — as in *"I wouldn't tangle with her if I were you."* It often implies the speaker thinks one side is clearly outmatched. The noun form is equally common: *"a tangle of bureaucratic red tape"* is a classic idiom for frustrating administrative complexity.