cobweb
noun
cob·web ˈkäb-ˌweb 
1
a
: the network spread by a spider : spiderweb
b
: tangles of the silken threads of a spiderweb usually covered with accumulated dirt and dust
2
: something that entangles, obscures, or confuses
a cobweb of law and politics
cobwebbed
ˈkäb-ˌwebd
adjective 
Example Sentences
Dirt and cobwebs filled the corners of the room. The barn is filled with cobwebs.
Recent Examples on the Web Its broad deck is studded with menacing cannon, with even larger weapons in the gun deck below, and its airspace is a cobweb of lines that can hoist 48 sails. 
Doug Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Sep. 2022 One student wore cobweb-esque knitwear, while the ByGeorge staff were decked out in bright and colorful CJR. Naomi Elizée, Vogue, 13 May 2022 And to this day, the Girls creator remains caught in a cobweb of legitimate and illegitimate critique: too feminist or insufficiently feminist; racist and/or hysterically privileged. Darren Franich, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2022 There must have been joy in being able to go into her barn, take a broom, sweep down a cobweb, and put it on a child’s wound. Liza Weisstuch, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2022 In London, Zendaya wore a dazzling Alexander McQueen ensemble that included thigh-high black stockings embellished with a web of crystals, as well as sparkly cobweb earrings. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 17 Feb. 2022 The Maroon 5 frontman took to Instagram on Monday to share a close-up on his newest ink: a butterfly trapped in a cobweb that is directly centered on the artist's neck. Ej Panaligan, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2021 Our goal was to investigate the conservatorship and the cobweb of the people running the conservatorship. Elizabeth Wagmeister, Variety, 28 Sep. 2021 Turned skyward and concave in a supportive cobweb of carbon fiber called a backplane, the mirror looks like the giant, unblinking compound eye of an insect. Lee Billings, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2016 See More
Doug Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Sep. 2022 One student wore cobweb-esque knitwear, while the ByGeorge staff were decked out in bright and colorful CJR. Naomi Elizée, Vogue, 13 May 2022 And to this day, the Girls creator remains caught in a cobweb of legitimate and illegitimate critique: too feminist or insufficiently feminist; racist and/or hysterically privileged. Darren Franich, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2022 There must have been joy in being able to go into her barn, take a broom, sweep down a cobweb, and put it on a child’s wound. Liza Weisstuch, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2022 In London, Zendaya wore a dazzling Alexander McQueen ensemble that included thigh-high black stockings embellished with a web of crystals, as well as sparkly cobweb earrings. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 17 Feb. 2022 The Maroon 5 frontman took to Instagram on Monday to share a close-up on his newest ink: a butterfly trapped in a cobweb that is directly centered on the artist's neck. Ej Panaligan, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2021 Our goal was to investigate the conservatorship and the cobweb of the people running the conservatorship. Elizabeth Wagmeister, Variety, 28 Sep. 2021 Turned skyward and concave in a supportive cobweb of carbon fiber called a backplane, the mirror looks like the giant, unblinking compound eye of an insect. Lee Billings, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2016 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English coppeweb, from coppe spider (from Old English ātorcoppe) + web; akin to Middle Dutch coppe spider
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
cobweb
noun
cob·web ˈkäb-ˌweb
1
: spiderweb
2
: tangles of threads of old spiderwebs usually covered with dirt and dust
cobwebs
noun
as in spiderwebs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- spiderwebs
- labyrinths
- mazes
- tangles
- webs
- snarls
- quicksands
- entanglements
- cat's cradles
- meshes
- toils
- nooses
- nets
- morasses
- snares
- traps
- quagmires
- knots
- tanglements