1
as in to fray
to separate the various strands of
it took us forever to unravel the jumbled mass of Christmas tree lights
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
unraveled the mystery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unravel
What begins as a brief detour spirals into a surreal escape where time, desire, and reality begin to unravel.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2025
As dark secrets unravel, their alliance is tested, forcing them to confront the limits of justice and their own morality.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Would a courtroom defeat unravel Trump's trade deals?
—Jan Wolfe, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2025
And the assumptions that supported its premium are unraveling with it.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2025
As dark secrets unravel, their alliance is tested, forcing them to confront the limits of justice and their own morality.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Would a courtroom defeat unravel Trump's trade deals?
—Jan Wolfe, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2025
And the assumptions that supported its premium are unraveling with it.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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Mental health struggles are on the rise, polarization is deepening and social safety nets are fraying.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
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At a time when planetary boundaries are being crossed and social cohesion is fraying, the credibility of incrementalism is fading fast.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Trotter said the mystery of where the Carruthers ended up has been solved.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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There was so much in the world already, so many problems that needed to be solved, without complicating things by reënacting what had already happened or was happening somewhere right now or might never happen.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The best true crime is when people genuinely care about the worst experiences of other people’s lives and want to do right by them — to understand how human perfect storms happen, to untangle them, and to help.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Aug. 2025
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It's been a highway dream for decades: Interstate 73, a new interstate through six states, including Ohio, that would untangle traffic from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to South Carolina's Myrtle Beach.—
Laura A. Bischoff,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Even in these situations, Purcell advises that the first step a homeowner should take is to communicate their concerns to their neighbor in hopes of resolving the issue.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
15 Aug. 2025
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That might mean remaking a drink, offering an alternative, or finding another way to resolve an issue.—
Jill Schulman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Making use of twin studies, researchers are able to disentangle the impact of genetics from the environment.—
Philip Salter,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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As the show progresses, the book morphs into a potent examination of self-objectification, of the existential tedium of work, and of the disorientation produced by living in a world where what is genuine and what is performance are difficult to disentangle.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Verb
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This might be nonsensical and irrelevant to answering the question at hand, such as if the sky is blue, but the AI will computationally and mathematically be slanted anyway.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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A lot of questions that will need to be answered in the coming weeks.—
Cecil Merkerson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Twist hair onto the barrel, holding for a few seconds near the root, and then untwist.—
Claire Sullivan,
WWD,
3 Sep. 2019
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In rare cases, a volvulus can partially resolve on its own if the twist or obstruction is not severe and the intestine untwists spontaneously.—
Sarah Jividen,
Health,
22 Sep. 2024
Verb
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What’s more, giving yourself space to rest and introspect could help you unsnarl a problem that’s been weighing you down lately.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2022
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Supply chains have started to unsnarl, and commodity prices for oil and some grains have dipped after surging amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.—
Jeanna Smialek,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravel. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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