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
The Los Angeles Clippers continue to unravel.
—
Jalon Dixon, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
But as the years rolled by, things began to slowly unravel.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
But when the town exhumes the body of the real Sadie Hawkins to unravel the truth behind her killing spree fifty years earlier, a malevolent force returns to the town.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 3 Dec. 2025
But now, some investors and energy market analysts are questioning whether the AI race has turned into a bubble, one that would prove expensive to unravel as new transmission lines and power plants are built to support those data centers.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
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Jalon Dixon, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
But as the years rolled by, things began to slowly unravel.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
But when the town exhumes the body of the real Sadie Hawkins to unravel the truth behind her killing spree fifty years earlier, a malevolent force returns to the town.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 3 Dec. 2025
But now, some investors and energy market analysts are questioning whether the AI race has turned into a bubble, one that would prove expensive to unravel as new transmission lines and power plants are built to support those data centers.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unravel. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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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