The word "enmeshed" is spelled with the prefix "en-" meaning "in" and the word "meshed". The phonetic transcription for "en-" is /ɛn/ and for "meshed" it is /mɛʃt/. The stress is on the second syllable, pronounced as /mɛʃt/. This word means to be entangled or caught up in something or someone's life. Enmeshed relationships or situations can be difficult to untangle and may feel suffocating or overwhelming.
Enmeshed is an adjective that describes a state or situation in which individuals or entities become entangled, caught up, or deeply involved in a complicated or intricate web of relationships, obligations, or circumstances. It implies a sense of being trapped or immobilized by the complexities of the situation.
When people are enmeshed, they may struggle to establish clear boundaries or assert their individuality, as they are typically entwined with others in a messy or excessively connected manner. This could be present in personal relationships, family dynamics, or organizational structures, among other contexts.
Enmeshment often characterizes relationships that lack healthy emotional boundaries, leading to a blurring of individual identities and an overreliance on others for validation or a sense of self-worth. It can hinder personal growth and impede the establishment of healthy interpersonal connections.
In family settings, enmeshment may manifest as an unhealthy level of dependence, wherein family members become overly involved in one another's lives, feelings, and decision-making processes. This can lead to a loss of autonomy, difficulty in making independent choices, and decreased personal accountability.
In summary, enmeshed refers to a state of being deeply entangled in complex relationships or situations that hinder individual autonomy and emotional well-being due to a lack of clear boundaries and excessive reliance on others.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "enmeshed" is derived from the Middle English word "mēshen", which means "to catch in a net". This Middle English term is related to the Old English word "mǣsce" or "mǣsc", meaning "mesh". The prefix "en-" added to "mesh" implies being caught or trapped within something, hence creating the word "enmeshed".