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wrangle

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wrangle

  • /ˈɹæŋɡəl/
  • [ˈɹʷæŋɡəl] ~ [ˈɹʷæŋɡl̩]
  • /ˈɹeɪ̯ŋɡəl/ Canada, US
  • [ˈɹʷeɪ̯ŋɡəl] ~ [ˈɹʷeɪ̯ŋɡl̩] Canada, US
  • /ˈɹɛ̃ŋɡəl/ Canada, US
  • [ˈɹʷɛ̃ŋɡəl] ~ [ˈɹʷɛ̃ŋɡl̩] Canada, US

Rhymes with -æŋɡəl

Where it comes from

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”)

verb wrangles · wrangling · wrangled · wrangle

  1. transitive To convince or influence (someone) by arguing or contending.
  2. transitive Followed by out of: to elicit (something) from a person by arguing or bargaining. [W]e vvrangled out of the King ten quarters of Corne for a copper Kettel, the vvhich the Preſident preceiving him much to affect, valued it at a much greater rate; […]
  3. archaic, rare, transitive To speak or write (something) in an argumentative or contentious manner. [H]e has taken in, Sir, the vvhole ſubject,— […] begging, borrovving, and ſtealing, as he vvent along, all that had been vvrote or vvrangled thereupon in the ſchools and porticos of the learned; […]
  4. archaic, rare, transitive To spend (time) arguing or quarrelling.
  5. US, Western, transitive To herd (horses or other livestock). When she [Debbie Reynolds as Lucretia Rogers] tries to wrangle a calf, she ends up flat on her face in the barnyard muck.
  6. US, Western, broadly, humorous, transitive To manage or supervise (people). Wrangling a chaotic group of five-year-olds is unnerving enough without the added stress of a famous NHLer [Brian Gionta] in the room helping lace his son’s skates.
  7. US, Western, figuratively, transitive To gather and organize (data, facts, information, etc.), especially in a way which requires sentience rather than automated methods alone, as in data wrangling.

    Similar: munge

  8. obsolete, transitive Followed by out of: to compel or drive (someone or something) away through arguing. To VVrangle the Devil, out of the Country, vvill be truly a Nevv Experiment! Alas, vve are not Avvare of the Devil, if vve do not think, that he aims at Enflaming us one againſt another; & ſhall vve ſuffer our ſelves to be Devil-Ridden? or, by any Vnadviſableneſs, contribute unto the VVidening of ou
  9. obsolete, transitive Followed by out: to put forward arguments on (a case, a matter disagreed upon, etc.). VVell then, if I make 'hem not vvrangle out this caſe, to his no comfort, let me be thought a Iack Davv, or La-Foole, or any thing vvorſe.
  10. obsolete, reflexive, transitive To cause (oneself) grief through arguing or quarrelling. When we have wrangled ourselves as long as our wits and strengths will serve us, the honest, downright sober English Protestant will be found, in the end, the man in the safest way, and by the surest line: […]
  11. also, figuratively, intransitive To quarrel angrily and noisily; to bicker. [A]fter his old manner, he wrangleth and quarrelleth.

    Similar: altercate, contend, squabble, barney, bicker, quarrel, wrangle, argue, tiff, tift, quibble, row

  12. intransitive To make harsh noises as if quarrelling. A suitable attire the horses shew; / Their golden bits keep wrangling as they go; […]

    Similar: jangle

  13. also, figuratively, intransitive To argue, to debate; also (dated), to debate or discuss publicly, especially about a thesis at a university. Forſoothe, that vvhen he had concluded that vve muſt no liue by examples, but by lavves, he might make ſimple ſoules beleaue, that they ought not follovve the exãples of their holy forefathers, in bleſsing them ſelues, but to haue the name of the lavve in their mouthes and do nothing leſſe thã that

noun wrangles

  1. countable An angry dispute; a noisy quarrel; an altercation. For in that you would your awardship shuld take none effect, you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealinge wyth an honeste poore man, which hath bene redye at your request to doo you pleasure with his things, or els he had neuer come into this wrāgle for hi
  2. uncountable Angry disputation; noisy quarrelling. Wrangle and bloodshed followed thence.
  3. countable, obsolete, uncountable A contentious argument or response.
  4. countable, obsolete, uncountable A controversy.

Translations

Every language

verb to herd (horses or other livestock); to manage or supervise (people)

Portuguêspastorar
Deutschtreiben
Românăpăstori

verb to quarrel angrily and noisily — see also bicker

Portuguêsdisputar
Françaisdisputer, quereller
Deutschrangeln, streiten
Românădispută aprinsă
Русскийпререка́ться prerekátʹsja, спо́рить spóritʹ, вздо́рить vzdóritʹ

noun angry dispute; noisy quarrel

Españolaltercado, disputa, gresca
Portuguêsbriga
Românăceartă aprinsă

noun angry disputation; noisy quarrelling

Españolriña
Portuguêsdisputar
DeutschRangelei, Streit
Русскийперебра́нка perebránka, спор spor, ссо́ра ssóra

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MLA

"wrangle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wrangle. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

wrangle. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wrangle

Chicago

"wrangle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wrangle.

BibTeX
@misc{wrangle_2026,
  title = {wrangle},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wrangle},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}