word
Italian
imbroglio
im-BROL-yoh
ɪmˈbroʊlioʊListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
imbroglio
Sounds like
Say 'im-BROL-yoh' — the 'gli' makes a 'ly' sound.
Dictionary meaning
An extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.
History and origin
Italian — 'imbrogliare' (to confuse, tangle).
Examples
- The diplomatic imbroglio required months of careful negotiation to resolve.
Common mispronunciations
im-BROG-lee-ohim-BROH-lee-oh
People also look up
Learn one new pronunciation a day
Get a word, name or idiom like “imbroglio” in your inbox — daily or weekly, free. Unsubscribe any time.
Something wrong? Suggest a correction