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
Synonyms
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 charade unraveled in 2023, after Woods contacted Keirans’s employer.
—
Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
The Heat rode a dynamic stretch from Jimmy Butler and four reserves to pull ahead in the fourth but then unraveled offensively late, going nearly six minutes without a point.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The authors write that additional studies might unravel how other factors affect subjective age, such as the timing or quality of sleep.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The convictions unraveled a little more than a year later.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
The story quickly unraveled: The Enquirer had been talking to a David Katz, but this one was a freelance TV producer based in New Jersey.
—Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
In search of its 23rd appearance in the Elite Eight, Stanford, 30-6, saw the game unravel in the third quarter as guard Aziaha James took over and the Wolfpack worked on keeping Brink and Iriafen in foul trouble while the Cardinal struggled to keep up from the perimeter.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
But the change of clothes did not hide the horrors the girl had gone through, and Candelario’s sob story started unraveling.
—Faith Karimi, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
But an exact death toll is near-impossible to calculate, in part because of the difficulties of unraveling the causes of cancer.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
The Heat rode a dynamic stretch from Jimmy Butler and four reserves to pull ahead in the fourth but then unraveled offensively late, going nearly six minutes without a point.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The authors write that additional studies might unravel how other factors affect subjective age, such as the timing or quality of sleep.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The convictions unraveled a little more than a year later.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
The story quickly unraveled: The Enquirer had been talking to a David Katz, but this one was a freelance TV producer based in New Jersey.
—Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
In search of its 23rd appearance in the Elite Eight, Stanford, 30-6, saw the game unravel in the third quarter as guard Aziaha James took over and the Wolfpack worked on keeping Brink and Iriafen in foul trouble while the Cardinal struggled to keep up from the perimeter.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
But the change of clothes did not hide the horrors the girl had gone through, and Candelario’s sob story started unraveling.
—Faith Karimi, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
But an exact death toll is near-impossible to calculate, in part because of the difficulties of unraveling the causes of cancer.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unravel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1603, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near unravel
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unravel. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on unravel
Nglish: Translation of unravel for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of unravel for Arabic Speakers
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