What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
untangle
Example
She spent hours trying to untangle her necklace. [untangle: verb]
Example
The detective worked hard to untangle the web of lies surrounding the case. [untangle: verb]
unwind
Example
I like to unwind with a good book after a long day at work. [unwind: verb]
Example
He carefully unwound the rope from around the tree. [unwound: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Unwind is more commonly used than untangle in everyday language. Unwind is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while untangle is less common and more specific in its usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between untangle and unwind?
Both untangle and unwind can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, untangle may be more commonly used in technical or specialized fields, while unwind is more commonly used in casual or everyday language.