To manipulate or achieve something often by clever or deceitful means
Examples:
She wangled a day off work without raising suspicion.He managed to wangle an upgrade to first class.Jane wangled an invitation to the exclusive party.
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Antonyms:
Wrangle
/ˈræŋɡəl/
To argue or fight over something, or to manage to obtain something through clever maneuvering.
Examples:
The two countries are in a wrangle over trade tariffs.Shareholders were involved in a wrangle to remove the CEO.Neighbors engaged in a long wrangle over property lines.
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Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Wangle often involves using clever or devious methods to achieve something, think angle as in finding an angle or a clever way to get what you want.
Wrangle often involves handling or managing something in a contentious or difficult way, like dealing with a stubborn animal or argument, think wr for wrestle with a situation.
If youre angling for a ticket to a sold-out show, you might wangle it; if youre involved in a debate about who should get the ticket, you're wrangling.
Remember, wangle has a positive or neutral connotation with achieving an aim, while wrangle implies conflict or dispute.
If you need to recall which is which, associate wa in wangle with waxing eloquent or clever, whereas wr in wrangle links to wrestling with a problem.