extricate myself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "extricate myself" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of freeing oneself from a difficult or entangled situation. Example: "After hours of trying to solve the problem, I finally managed to extricate myself from the mess I had created."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

It just became impossible for me to extricate myself, or even try and extricate myself".

The New Yorker

I couldn't extricate myself from my hidden relationship.

The New York Times

It took 48 hours to extricate myself from my life.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The band then started their set and I was still trying to extricate myself.

Independent

I was so deep in the crowd, I couldn't extricate myself.

The New York Times - Magazine

Even in Japan, where I came a few months ago seeking cognitive refuge from the Chávez soap opera, I cannot extricate myself.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

I spent the next decade extricating myself, dating a Benetton array of men.

The New York Times

"I wanted out, but I had businesses going in seven cities in the Northeast, and extricating myself took some time," Mr. Cupp said.

The New York Times

Now, at the Palace bar, I was extricating myself from a debate on UK immigration policies, more precisely why the jolly man with gold teeth had been refused a visa.

The Guardian - Travel

A few weeks later, I arrived home in the early morning hours after abruptly extricating myself from Josh's bed — he had suddenly revealed plans for a European vacation with another girl — and immediately sat down at my computer to write a post about what had happened.

The New York Times - Magazine

Luckily I extricated myself for the final hurdle.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "extricate myself" when you want to emphasize the difficulty or complexity of removing yourself from a situation. It suggests a deliberate and sometimes challenging effort to disentangle yourself.

Common error

Avoid using "extricate myself" in situations where a simpler term like "leave" or "remove" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "extricate myself" functions as a reflexive verb phrase. It indicates the action of freeing oneself from a difficult or complicated situation. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Huffington Post

13%

Science Magazine

3%

Less common in

Vice

3%

BBC

1%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "extricate myself" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase for describing the action of freeing oneself from a challenging situation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, while highlighting that it often appears in news and media contexts. While "extricate myself" conveys a sense of effort and complexity, writers should ensure its use is appropriate for the context and avoid overusing it when simpler alternatives like ""free myself"" or ""remove myself"" would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

free myself

Emphasizes liberation from a constraint or obligation, suggesting a more general sense of release.

extract myself

Implies a more forceful or difficult removal, as if pulling oneself out of something sticky or confining.

liberate myself

Highlights the act of setting oneself free, often from oppression or captivity, adding a sense of empowerment.

disentangle myself

Suggests a complex and confusing situation from which one is carefully trying to remove oneself.

detach myself

Focuses on creating emotional or physical distance, implying a deliberate separation from something.

escape myself

Highlights the act of fleeing a dangerous or unpleasant situation, suggesting a sense of urgency.

remove myself

A more general term for taking oneself away, without necessarily implying difficulty or entanglement.

withdraw myself

Suggests a retreat or pulling back from a situation or commitment, often to avoid conflict or involvement.

get out of

A more informal way of saying to remove oneself from something, often implying a desire to avoid a responsibility or obligation.

step away from

Indicates a deliberate decision to disengage from a situation, often to gain perspective or avoid further involvement.

FAQs

How can I use "extricate myself" in a sentence?

The phrase "extricate myself" is used to describe the act of freeing oneself from a difficult or complicated situation. For example, "After realizing the project was failing, I needed to "remove myself" from the situation before it damaged my reputation".

What's a simpler way to say "extricate myself"?

Alternatives include "free myself", "remove myself", or "get out of". The best choice depends on the specific context and the level of formality you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "extricate myself" instead of "excuse myself"?

"Extricate myself" implies a difficult or complicated removal, while "excuse myself" is a polite way to leave a social situation. Use "extricate myself" when you are freeing yourself from something challenging, not just politely departing.

Is "extricate myself from" always necessary, or can I say "extricate myself" alone?

The phrase "extricate myself" typically requires a prepositional phrase indicating what you are extricating yourself from. Saying just "extricate myself" is grammatically incomplete. You need to specify "extricate myself from the situation", for example.