WordValeextricate
to free someone or something from a difficulty
In more detail
1. (verb) to free or remove someone or something from a difficult, trapped, or complicated situation
2. (verb) to pull or untangle something physically from a place where it is stuck or tangled
Examples
- 1. The government struggled to extricate itself from the financial crisis.
- 2. He carefully extricated the fishing line from the branches.
How to use extricate
Extricate is used for removing someone or something from a difficult position, whether literal (physically stuck) or figurative (complicated circumstances). It emphasizes the effort required and often implies the situation was complicated or problematic. It is more formal and deliberate than simple verbs like 'free' or 'remove'.
Common phrases
- extricate oneself from
- extricate someone from a situation
- extricate something from a tangle
- difficult to extricate
- manage to extricate
Synonyms
free · extract · disengage · liberate · untangle
Opposites
entangle · trap · ensnare
Word family
extrication (noun) · extricable (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse extricate with extract; extract means to take out or remove, while extricate specifically means to free from something tangled, stuck, or difficult.
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