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 Both teams now limp into Saturday's game in Austin with bruised bodies and egos, and carrying a whiff of desperation for a win to keep the season from unraveling. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 The developments frustrated the Ukrainian military and deepened fears that Kyiv's relationship with Washington is unraveling. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 By then, Capone was fighting legal battles on several fronts, and things were beginning to unravel. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2026 The developments frustrated the Ukrainian military and deepened fears that Kyiv’s relationship with Washington is unraveling. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 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
  • Francisco Luna, 45, the owner of an auto repair shop, said coexistence has been frayed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • By the late 1960s, confidence in technological progress was fraying.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fray
Verb
  • Separate nozzles also don't solve the problems of bonding incompatible materials or managing different printing temperatures.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Throw in a third massive object, though, and the math gets ridiculously more complicated and difficult to solve.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • The chemistry prize recognized two scientists for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery that has been used to develop countless drugs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The reason why is a mystery—scientists are still working to untangle whether a healthy gut drives longevity or is a by-product of it.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of untangle
Verb
  • Netanyahu’s wager, according to these critics, was that the aid would give Hamas something to lose and would therefore help contain the group while Israel pursued normalization with the Arab world without resolving the Palestinian question.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Atlanta was able to secure State Farm Arena for Game 3 and 4 after the WNBA and NBA came together to resolve conflicts at that arena.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of resolve
Verb
  • Pawlikowski’s mother and father, also named Zula and Wiktor, whose unmanageable love had kept them tangled and disentangled for decades, took their own lives in 1989, as the Cold War that had cast its chill upon their time was beginning to thaw.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • His remarks escalated a confrontation over New York’s efforts to disentangle local police from federal immigration enforcement.
    — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of disentangle
Verb
  • The Pentagon has not answered questions from The Associated Press about the restrictions.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Kansas’ junior Republican senator spent roughly 30 minutes answering questions from a Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce moderator.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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