Entry Word: unravel

Function: verb

Meaning: 1 to separate the various strands of <it took us forever to unravel the jumbled mass of Christmas tree lights>

Synonyms disentangle, ravel (out), unbraid, unsnarl, untangle, untwine, untwist

Related Words smooth, straighten (out); undo, unlace, unstring, unthread, untie, unwind

Near Antonyms braid, knot, lace, tie, wind

Antonyms entangle, snarl, tangle

2 to find an answer for through reasoning <unraveled the mystery> — see solve