[ex.tri.cate] vt -cat.ed ; -cat.ing [L extricatus, pp. of extricare, fr. ex- + tricae trifles, perplexities] (1614) 1 a archaic: unravel b: to distinguish from a related thing
2: to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty -- ex.tri.ca.ble adj -- ex.tri.ca.tion n syn 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".