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
Khan’s life unravelled in the course of only a few hours.
—
David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
The story of a Louisville man charged in connection to the murder of his fiancée had not fully unraveled when he was acquitted in 1991.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Oct. 2025
The more veteran pop singer’s relationship with touring began unraveling long before the collaboration was released in 2020.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
His facade unraveled in late 1957 when a local hardware store owner went missing, leading authorities to Gein's door.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
The story of a Louisville man charged in connection to the murder of his fiancée had not fully unraveled when he was acquitted in 1991.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Oct. 2025
The more veteran pop singer’s relationship with touring began unraveling long before the collaboration was released in 2020.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
His facade unraveled in late 1957 when a local hardware store owner went missing, leading authorities to Gein's door.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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But already the controls are fraying.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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Many preventative care services are covered, at least partially, by insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but experts say that net of protection has frayed over the years.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From tackling housing crises on Earth to building shelters on the moon, Charlotte shows how robotics and 3D printing can work together to solve real problems.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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Simply put, there are complex problems that cannot be solved by classical computers, such as simulating molecules for drug discovery and materials science and optimizing large-scale systems in finance and logistics.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ask anyone trying to untangle Evergrande’s balance sheet.—
Richard Torrenzano,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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But swapping fat for sugar and empty carbs is also problematic, and it has been complicated to untangle the effects of ever-changing dietary patterns.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Departments reported resolving 20% of calls using drones, without sending police in patrol cars to scenes, according to the company.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
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For the president, Columbus Day was an opportunity to resolve a diplomatic crisis with Italy and gain favor with Italian American voters after rioters in New Orleans lynched 11 Italian Americans the year prior.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To fully disentangle them would set both sides — and the whole world — back decades.—
Peter Leyden,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
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Claude can’t disentangle her years-ago affair with Mathias from feelings of self-recrimination and guilt, and seesaws between anger and seduction.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tennessee answered Arkansas' opening touchdown with a 7-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped by DeSean Bishop’s 17-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
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Martin spoke about the series adaptation while answering a fan question about imposter syndrome.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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It’s got a rubber bumper around the upper rim that makes the lid a breeze to untwist and a protective bumper at the base that keeps it from easily toppling over.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appétit,
6 Aug. 2024
Verb
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During the recent supply-chain crisis, XPO helped unsnarl bottlenecks for customers in several industries.—
Joann S. Lublin,
Time,
27 Nov. 2022
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Construction is beginning on a major railroad project on Chicago’s South Side that officials hope will unsnarl a key freight rail choke point, boost Metra service and improve conditions for drivers, pedestrians and residents in the area.—
Sarah Freishtat,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Oct. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravel. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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