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
But her life unraveled when she was pictured on social media in 2017, playing in Switzerland without the hijab headscarf deemed mandatory by the regime.
—
Don Riddell, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
But that deal unraveled after the Pretti shooting in Minneapolis.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Either prep your side or help each other unravel the layers.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2026
With new signings needing time to settle, injuries cutting deep and key personnel struggling for form, their title defence quickly unravelled and Slot’s future suddenly looked less certain.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Don Riddell, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
But that deal unraveled after the Pretti shooting in Minneapolis.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Either prep your side or help each other unravel the layers.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2026
With new signings needing time to settle, injuries cutting deep and key personnel struggling for form, their title defence quickly unravelled and Slot’s future suddenly looked less certain.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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Replace your brush every three months, or sooner if the bristles fray.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
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The fraying ties prompted Islamabad to return almost three million Afghan nationals in recent months, straining Kabul’s scant resources.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a briefing with reporters earlier, a Meta legal spokesperson said the company didn't believe that youth mental health struggles, both broadly and with Kaley specifically, could be solved through litigation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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To solve the problem, graduate student James Talavage and Professor Ou Ma designed a system called Dual-Arm Zero Momentum.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There is nothing glamorous about arriving at your hotel and untangling a nest of cords.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
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Needing someone to untangle his salary-cap situation in 1999, former Vikings owner Red McCombs landed Brzezinski, who quickly impressed staffers in all areas.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The result was that each party blocked the other's proposal for temporarily resolving the standoff during an hourslong debate on the Senate floor.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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The complaint has not yet been resolved.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
13 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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Jerdee was tested twice in the first three minutes of the second overtime and answered the bell with two crucial saves.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
8 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 15 Mar. 2026.
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