unravel

verb

ˌən-ˈra-vəl How to pronounce unravel (audio)
Definition of unravelnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unravel The story begins after her death, with Faye waking in the Everywhen to find her protective plans for Kratos and Atreus unraveling, facing antagonists like Sekhmet. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 These desperate struggles against the encroaching elements are merely a brief interlude before the situation unravels into a disaster of an entirely different magnitude. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 24 July 2026 But the negotiations unraveled after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and the devastating Gaza war that followed. — Marie-Rose Sheinerman, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026 Brent has jumped 33% in July as the 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran has unravelled. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
  1. fray
  2. solve
  3. untangle
  4. resolve
  5. disentangle
  6. answer
  7. untwist
  8. unsnarl
Verb
  • Nanfelt said some have misread any concern of unexpected decisions this year as pointing to a fraying relationship between city leadership and the business community.
    — DJ Simmons July 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
  • If literacy is a key part of the American story, that narrative seems to be fraying at the edges.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
Definition of fray
Verb
  • No one bill was ever going to solve every affordability challenge facing this country.
    — Kent Strang, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026
  • The problem of non-competitive midseason spectacles lives on for another group to try to solve.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • As interest in the film continued to grow, Dennis became determined to untangle the complicated rights, and some detective work led him to discover that the movie was now owned by Amazon/MGM.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
  • In the background while making various shows in the following years, Antosca’s producing partner Alex Hedlund worked to untangle the rights, eventually obtaining the directors’ blessing.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 24 July 2026
Definition of untangle
Verb
  • Also, the environmental questions, including chemical discharge, brine management, intake effects, and ecosystem disruption, are acknowledged but not fully resolved here.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
  • For all the challenges Prisco’s weathered over the century, nothing tested the family resolve like damage from a violent wind storm last August that tore into the store, causing part of the back wall to collapse and sending water pouring inside.
    — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of resolve
Verb
  • Lydia Kiesling’s Mobility attempts something at once more traditional and more ambitious, exploring how a young woman tries to disentangle herself from the oil industry’s poisonous tendrils.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • The unique shape of these events meant that signals from wakes could be more easily disentangled from surrounding noise.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of disentangle
Verb
  • Police will answer questions about the shooting at a later news conference, likely next week, Garcia said.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • Most leadership teams cannot answer this, and the exercise usually surfaces more exposure than expected.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of answer
Verb
  • If the testicle is not untwisted within hours, it can be lost.
    — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Daily untwisted the beer bottle cap, poured it into his shoe, and took a healthy swig, standing up for dramatic effect.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
Definition of untwist
Verb
  • How to unsnarl the emotions that play tug-of-war with our souls?
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025
  • During the recent supply-chain crisis, XPO helped unsnarl bottlenecks for customers in several industries.
    — Joann S. Lublin, Time, 27 Nov. 2022
Definition of unsnarl

Browse Nearby Words

unquietness
unravel
unraveled
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Cite this Entry

“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravel. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unravel for Spanish Speakers

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