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
And all hopes were jeopardized during an embarrassing trip to Michigan, where Cronin and the Bruins unraveled.
—
Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
By 1973, the system had fully unraveled.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
In the end, March Madness became a muddled mess as Florida’s push to repeat as national champions unraveled in a devastating loss to Iowa.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
The outreach quickly unraveled, however.
—Joshua Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
By 1973, the system had fully unraveled.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
In the end, March Madness became a muddled mess as Florida’s push to repeat as national champions unraveled in a devastating loss to Iowa.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
The outreach quickly unraveled, however.
—Joshua Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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But that sense of belonging has frayed.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Friendships fraying, puberty unevenly invading our bodies in ways both private and horrifically public.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The case was solved years later through DNA evidence, along with the exhumation of the family dog, which prosecutors said Kovacich had kicked and beaten to death.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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The cold case mystery was the first New York City murder solved using familial DNA, an innovative scientific technique that linked Martinez, 54, through DNA in his father’s criminal database.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Golden ran onto the court as officials scrambled to untangle the scrum before calling technicals on each player and giving Iowa the ball.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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But this new use of outside appointments for post-conviction work has posed an unusual dispute for Colon-Sayre to untangle.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Legal experts caution that cases of this scale—spanning multiple countries and financial systems—can take years to resolve.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Senators are under intense pressure to resolve the impasse as chaos at airports continues.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Provocative journalist and interviewer of the powerful There were those for whom art could not be disentangled from life, whose creations, often read as confessions, were intrinsically connected to their identities.—
Amisha Padnani,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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At this point, with a majority of voters opposed to Trump’s interventions, congressional action is the only way to disentangle the country from these conflicts.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Questions and comments will be moderated, read, and answered as time allows.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
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If Ribadu is serious about a dialogue, even as a long-term exercise, there are some fundamental questions to answer.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a feat of precision physics, researchers from Cornell and Stanford Universities have filmed atoms twisting and untwisting in perfect sync, a choreography that unfolds in just a trillionth of a second.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Nov. 2025
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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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How to unsnarl the emotions that play tug-of-war with our souls?—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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