extricate

verb

ex·​tri·​cate ˈek-strə-ˌkāt How to pronounce extricate (audio)
extricated; extricating

transitive verb

1
: to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty
2
a
: to distinguish from a related thing
b
archaic : unravel
extricable adjective
extrication noun

Did you know?

Extricate is used for the act of freeing someone or something from a tangled situation. Its spelling and meaning comes from Latin extricatus, which combines the prefix ex- ("out of") with the noun tricae, meaning "trifles or perplexities." The resemblance of tricae to trick is no illusion—it's an ancestor.

Choose the Right Synonym for extricate

extricate, disentangle, untangle, disencumber, disembarrass mean to free from what binds or holds back.

extricate implies the use of care or ingenuity in freeing from a difficult position or situation.

extricated himself from financial difficulties

disentangle and untangle suggest painstaking separation of a thing from other things.

disentangling fact from fiction
untangle a web of deceit

disencumber implies a release from something that clogs or weighs down.

an article disencumbered of jargon

disembarrass suggests a release from something that impedes or hinders.

disembarrassed herself of her advisers

Examples of extricate in a Sentence

Several survivors were extricated from the wreckage. They extricated the tractor from the mud. She hasn't been able to extricate herself from her legal problems.
Recent Examples on the Web Some were run over by aid trucks as the drivers sought to extricate themselves, said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter under investigation. Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Firefighters trapped beneath the debris of the home sent out mayday signals and crews on the scene rushed to extricate them. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 The White Lotus star Theo James has to extricate his aristocratic family from the clutches of a criminal underworld in the official trailer for The Gentlemen, Guy Ritchie’s gangster romp for Netflix based on the Hollywood director’s 2019 film of the same name. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 The start of the Division I Northeast Conference game was delayed after several FDU players became stuck in a cramped elevator at the Steinberg Wellness Center in Brooklyn and had to be extricated with help from the New York City Fire Department. George Ramsay, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 Hopkins’ buyout is significant (reportedly $3 million) but so is the cost of keeping a coach who cannot extricate his program from its multi-year tailspin. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 Burns was in and out of consciousness and with help from firefighters, was extricated from the patrol vehicle. Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2024 Jones is a millennial, McKayla Ross Gen Z; to extricate oneself from the internet is unfathomable. Thomas Page, CNN, 29 Jan. 2024 Firefighters extricated the 49-year-old woman driving the SUV. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extricate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin extricatus, past participle of extricare, from ex- + tricae trifles, perplexities

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Time Traveler
The first known use of extricate was in 1601

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Dictionary Entries Near extricate

Cite this Entry

“Extricate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extricate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

extricate

verb
ex·​tri·​cate ˈek-strə-ˌkāt How to pronounce extricate (audio)
extricated; extricating
: to free or remove from entanglement or difficulty
extrication noun

More from Merriam-Webster on extricate

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