unravel
verb
un·rav·el
ˌən-ˈra-vəl 
unraveled; unraveling; unravels
1
a
: to disengage or separate the threads of : disentangle
b
: to cause to come apart by or as if by separating the threads of
2
: to resolve the intricacy, complexity, or obscurity of : clear up
unravel a mystery
: to become unraveled
Examples of unravel in a Sentence
Scientists are still unraveling the secrets of DNA.
Their plans unraveled when she lost her job.
His frequent absences from home caused his marriage to unravel.
I feel like my life is unraveling.
Recent Examples on the Web
With this observatory, NASA hopes to unravel the secrets of dark matter and dark energy and discover thousands of planets beyond our solar system.
—
Denise Chow, NBC news, 15 June 2026
But when one of them is murdered, private investigator Aubrey Merritt and her assistant Olivia Blunt must unravel decades of secrets and fractured loyalties to uncover the killer.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
Talking about Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen‘s hair evolution is like unraveling a tangled web of aesthetics.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 12 June 2026
To better unravel what’s happening in this part of the Atlantic, the study scientists combined real-world ocean heat data from instruments and satellites with climate models.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
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Denise Chow, NBC news, 15 June 2026
But when one of them is murdered, private investigator Aubrey Merritt and her assistant Olivia Blunt must unravel decades of secrets and fractured loyalties to uncover the killer.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
Talking about Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen‘s hair evolution is like unraveling a tangled web of aesthetics.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 12 June 2026
To better unravel what’s happening in this part of the Atlantic, the study scientists combined real-world ocean heat data from instruments and satellites with climate models.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unravel. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unravel
verb
un·rav·el
ˌən-ˈrav-əl
ˈən-
1
: to separate the threads of : disentangle
unravel a snarl
2
: solve
unravel a mystery
3
: to become unraveled
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