1
as in to fray
to separate the various strands of
it took us forever to unravel the jumbled mass of Christmas tree lights
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
unraveled the mystery
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unravel
In 2018, a NATO summit during Trump's first term unraveled due to a dispute over defense spending.
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Arkansas Online, 25 June 2025
There's great hope that the Rubin Observatory's data will help scientists unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, too.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 22 June 2025
But two new studies — which researchers say are among the biggest paleoanthropology papers of the year — detail how scientists were able to extract genetic material from the fossil and help unravel this biological mystery.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
This show has political intrigue, there’s a murder mystery, there’s the destruction of the planet, and the premise is Sterling K. Brown plays a Secret Service agent who’s accused of killing the president and is sort of trying to unravel who was really at fault here, and that’s just on the surface.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Arkansas Online, 25 June 2025
There's great hope that the Rubin Observatory's data will help scientists unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, too.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 22 June 2025
But two new studies — which researchers say are among the biggest paleoanthropology papers of the year — detail how scientists were able to extract genetic material from the fossil and help unravel this biological mystery.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
This show has political intrigue, there’s a murder mystery, there’s the destruction of the planet, and the premise is Sterling K. Brown plays a Secret Service agent who’s accused of killing the president and is sort of trying to unravel who was really at fault here, and that’s just on the surface.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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The series focuses on JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s love story, which started as a beautiful union for the young couple, widely regarded as American royalty, began to fray under the stress of the relentless microscope and navel-gaze of tabloid media.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
20 June 2025
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Without recognition, your self-narrative begins to fray.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Tune in for short episodes every Wednesday and Saturday as Grumpy answers reader questions, solves seasonal conundrums, and provides need-to-know advice for gardeners with his very Grumpy sense of humor.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
25 June 2025
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Find out what is chewing the leaves of your plants and get tips for solving the problem.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 June 2025
Verb
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With two powerful suction levels, this vacuum tackles deep cleaning on both carpets and hard floors, and its brush head effortlessly lifts debris while untangling stubborn hair.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
28 June 2025
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While more research is needed to untangle the exact mechanisms and timelines, the findings suggest a need for integrated mental and physical healthcare in people with autoimmune conditions.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 June 2025
Verb
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In a 6-3 decision, the court did not resolve the constitutionality of one of Trump’s earliest and most provocative executive orders — a denial of birthright citizenship ensconced in the Constitution and affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2025
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Israel and its rivals have not resolved their political disputes, which in some cases have been further inflamed by the bloodshed.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Set in Venice, the film follows a black cat named Nero who befriends a street musician and struggles to disentangle himself from the feline mob.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
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Such actions may well have suppressed both trade and foreign direct investment, although the declines in both are difficult to disentangle from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
ALLISON CARNEGIE,
Foreign Affairs,
14 May 2025
Verb
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Whether Iran is still in U.S. critical infrastructure systems is a harder question to answer, according to Jamil Jaffer, the founder and executive director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University and former associate counsel to President George W. Bush.—
Bailey Schulz,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
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In the weeks ahead, BLA will answer the complaint and offer several defenses in hopes of convincing a court to dismiss the case.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
24 June 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 5 Jul. 2025.
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