Imbroglio

English

Etymology

Attested from 1750 meaning “a jumble”; by 1818, “a complicated misunderstanding, intricate entanglement” (especially of persons or nations).

Borrowed from Italian imbroglio, from imbrogliare (“to confuse, tangle”), from an assimilated form of in- (“into, in, on, upon”), from Proto-Indo-European root *en (“in”), + brogliare (“to embroil”), probably from French brouiller (“to confuse”; compare broil and embroil).

Transliteration

• Katakana: イムブロウリョウ
• Hangul: 임브로울료

Noun

imbroglio (plural imbroglios or imbrogli)

1. A complicated situation; an entanglement or confusing set of circumstances.
2. A complicated & embarrassing state, serious misunderstanding.

Usage

Often used to describe political, social, or personal situations that have become tangled, messy, or difficult to resolve.

Examples

• The negotiations turned into an imbroglio of conflicting interests.
• What began as a simple misunderstanding quickly escalated into a full-blown imbroglio.
• An imbroglio developed between the representatives of the opposing waifu shippers.

Related terms

• embroil
• entanglement
• muddle

Synonyms

• snarl
• tangle
• mess
• complication

See also

• imbrogliare
• embrouille