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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 Below $207 on a closing basis and the post-earnings structure has unraveled. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026 Their engagement unraveled, and the pair ultimately separated in 2022 after attempts at reconciliation. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Among the 14 movies vying for the Golden Eye is Rhys Marc Jones’ Black Church Bay, a mystery-thriller starring Tom Cullen and Joe Locke about a man whose world unravels after an intimate encounter with a younger man. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 Ed Sheeran’s world tour unraveled Tuesday after all his remaining supporting acts quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore and his onstage support of Palestinians. — Peter Weber, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 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
  • The companies on this year's list are tackling problems that range from rising energy demand to fraying supply chains.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • For two years, tension over the case has frayed allegiances in Dearborn.
    — Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of fray
Verb
  • Cage solved my next problem by insisting that the way to discover new things is to overcome our dependence on our likes and dislikes, those supposed pillars of criticism.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • If something goes wrong, do our teams solve the customer’s problem together or simply hand it to someone else?
    — Brian Tuite, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • Thank god for two thinkers willing to sit and untangle our sorry state of affairs.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • With power out to multiple customers, Duquesne Light crews also had their hands full, tasked with untangling the multiple fallen wires, some of which were ripped from buildings.
    — Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of untangle
Verb
  • According to authorities, Fabbrica LLC, which is based in Windsor, agreed to pay $2,581,250 to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with a $2 million PPP loan.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The company also offers a tele-assist capability for situations the robot cannot resolve autonomously.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 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
  • Bo Davidson hit a tying sacrifice fly off Evan Phillips (3-2) with two outs in the eighth for San Francisco before Hernandez answered against Trent Harris (0-1) for his fourth home run.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026
  • According to the company, the demonstration will address aerodynamic performance, stability, and reliability – questions aircraft manufacturers would need answered before considering the propulsion system for their designs.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravel. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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