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
That spring, Harvard began unraveling policies that Dr. Garber and others believed had fueled some of its political problems.
—
Gina Kolata, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The settlement comes as the Trump administration has sought to unravel the Biden administration’s crackdown on those who participated in the riot.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 2 May 2025
The artwork resembles the shell of a room that is unravelled to form a flat, vertical structure, like a deconstructed box.
—Megan Williams, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Mitchell turned it over twice more in the next two minutes, and everything quickly unraveled.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Gina Kolata, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The settlement comes as the Trump administration has sought to unravel the Biden administration’s crackdown on those who participated in the riot.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 2 May 2025
The artwork resembles the shell of a room that is unravelled to form a flat, vertical structure, like a deconstructed box.
—Megan Williams, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Mitchell turned it over twice more in the next two minutes, and everything quickly unraveled.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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This luggage has one job: hold your goods, and cope with scuff marks and fraying material with grace.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
1 May 2025
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The Europeans of Zweig’s youth did not grasp the fragility of their world, with its growing domestic tensions and fraying international order.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Some companies may pivot to domestic manufacturing, but this transition takes time and may not solve the issue.—
Rytis Lauris,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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No other sport has hockey’s TV problems, that HD did not solve.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2025
Verb
-
Gobert had untangled himself from Podziemski, who fell to the floor.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
11 May 2025
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This got nods of agreement from the rest of us, all of whom have experienced the frustration of untangling tech mid-flight.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In the viral video posted by their mother, Lauren Reed, the toddlers calmly resolved an argument with a surprising amount of maturity.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
11 May 2025
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Time zips by breezily, the point of view slides around unpredictably, and more than one plot strand is introduced without ever being resolved.—
Peter C. Baker,
New Yorker,
11 May 2025
Verb
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Brexit’s drag on the British economy is no longer much debated, though its effects have been at times hard to disentangle from subsequent shocks delivered by the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, now, Mr. Trump’s tariffs.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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Malone was a major stakeholder in the cable company, which maneuvered to join forces with the far-larger WarnerMedia after AT&T sought to disentangle itself from Hollywood following its short ownership of the film and television studio.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The spokesperson did not immediately answer the AP's questions regarding the practicality and feasibility of reopening Alcatraz or the agency's role in the future of the former prison given the National Park Service's control of the island.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
4 May 2025
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But his rebuke of Trump's policies answered one of Wall Street's biggest questions of this weekend: Would Buffett weigh in on the trade war and its massive disruptions?—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
3 May 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 18 May. 2025.
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