1A physical tangle or snarl (e.g., threads, hair, or lines twisted together and hard to untangle).
セーターの毛糸が大きくもつれてしまった。
The sweater's yarn got badly tangled.
釣り糸のもつれをほどくのに時間がかかった。
It took a long time to untangle the fishing line.
風で髪のもつれがひどくなった。
The wind made my hair really tangled.
2A complication or entanglement in affairs or relationships that causes difficulties or snags.
書類の不備でもつれが生じ、手続きが遅れた。
A complication due to missing documents caused the procedure to be delayed.
交渉は予期せぬもつれにより長引いた。
The negotiations were prolonged by unexpected complications.