Make Your Point: EXTRICATE

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pronounce EXTRICATE:

EX trih kate

connect this word to others:

Even though the word extricate is a verb, its perfect opposite is usually an adjective, one that means "all tangled up in complexity." As in, "We admired the __tricate spiderweb." Can you recall that word?

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

"Extricate" has Latin roots that literally mean "to get out of tricks, perplexities, or hindrances."

When you extricate something (or when you extricate yourself), you get it (or yourself) out of some tangled, tricky, or troublesome thing or situation.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Verb, the transitive kind: "In The Sandlot, the kids get themselves into quite a pickle, and Babe Ruth appears in one of the kid's dreams with an idea to extricate them all from said pickle."

Other forms:

Extricated, extricating; extrication.

Something that can be extricated is extricable. And if it can't, it's inextricable.

The adverbs are "extricably" and "inextricably," as in "Harry Potter and his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, are inextricably linked."

how to use it:

"Extricate" is a common word with a formal, serious tone. Pick it when you want to emphasize how difficult it is to get something (or someone) free from some complex mess of a situation.

You might talk literally about extricating objects from places. "It's nearly impossible to extricate chewing gum from your hair." "Somehow, the kids must extricate an extremely valuable baseball from a junk yard that's guarded by a dog called The Beast."

Or, you might talk about extricating people, or sometimes things, from situations. "The kids eventually extricate themselves from the pickle." "She finally extricated herself from an unhealthy relationship." "He managed to extricate himself from that awkward yearly holiday party." "They're still trying to extricate themselves from an industry they no longer believe in."

examples:

"This spring, movers began the task of extricating the panels [of the 30-ton fresco] from the concrete wall."
— Carol Pogash, New York Times, 22 June 2021

"She'd been wed to a man she'd never seen before... Fujiko had stayed awake pondering ways to extricate herself from this situation."
— David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars, 1994

has this page helped you understand "extricate"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "extricate" without saying "yank free" or "disentangle."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "(Something) is an inextricable part of (something else)."

Example 1: "Cooking is an inextricable part of family holidays."

Example 2: "Music is an inextricable part of sporting events, from the anthems played (and sung by fans) during the big game to those soundtracking replays on television broadcasts."
— Taylor Mims, Frank DiGiacomo, Colin Stutz, Isabela Raygoza, Griselda Flores, and Katie Atkinson; Billboard; 15 February 2024

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "It Sounds Wiser in Latin."

Longtime readers will recognize this game. It's back, with fresh new (okay, mostly ancient) Latin idioms!

Try matching a handful of Latin phrases to their English translations. If you need some clues, I'll provide them in the form of definitions of related English words. For example, the clue "Something anguine reminds you of a snake" could help you determine that "Latet anguis in herba" means "A snake hides in the grass."

You can see the answers by scrolling to the bottom of the issue.

Try these today:

1. Brevis oratio penetrat coelos.
2. Cito maturum cito putridum.
3. Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus.
4. Forma bonum fragile est.
5. Quidquid praecipies esto brevis.

A. Beauty is a fragile good.
B. Early ripe, early rotten.
C. Never tickle a sleeping dragon (the motto of Hogwarts).
D. Short prayers reach heaven.
E. Whatever advice you give, be short.

To peek at the clues, follow the links:

1. Brevity is...
2. A bon mot is a...
3. A tertium quid is...

review this word:

1. One opposite of EXTRICATE is

A. HIDE.
B. ENMESH.
C. DISPELL.

2. In The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown wrote: "When Chuck Day sat down at the tables, Joe and Johnny both stood by, keeping a close eye on him, ready to extricate him _____."

A. from any trouble
B. with their own trays of food
C. at the slightest twinge of laughter

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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