UNRAVELING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

unraveling

verb

present participle of unravel

as in fraying

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

as in solving

to find an answer for through reasoning unraveled the mystery

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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 unraveling Starring Zhang Yi, Ma Li, and Chen Minghao alongside Karry Wang, Fan Chengcheng, and Chen Feiyu, the multi-decade narrative charts a veteran public security officer unraveling major historical cases based on real events. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Shortly after, Iran attacked commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, unraveling the precarious cease-fire the country had struck with the United States three months earlier. — Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026 The research has started unraveling the pathways that lead to behavior and disease. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 Now, the task of unraveling the case will fall to the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, who was appointed as a special prosecutor. — Hallie Golden, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026 Rocha developed Parker’s dress from an existing show piece, reworking its hand-laced, unraveling ribbons in a pale ballet pink intended as a nod to pointe shoes. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026 The investigation into his actions became a national scandal, unraveling after Rachael Denhollander publicly accused him in September 2016. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026 But not all Republicans agree with the idea that their Hispanic base might be unraveling. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026 The future reveals its uncannily familiar face in this novel, and the Kent coast serves as both canvas and muse for that unraveling. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unraveling

Verb

By the late 1960s, confidence in technological progress was fraying.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
At a time when the social safety net is fraying and affordability is a midterm-election mantra, churches are stepping into the void.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraying

Verb

Besides transporting me back to ancient China, solving this problem took me back to my own roots as a mathematician.

— Dana Mackenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
The experiment shows that small models are becoming increasingly capable at solving those problems autonomously.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of solving

Verb

Cutting Iran off completely from the UAE could deal a serious blow to the Islamic Republic’s economy — but experts say disentangling the pair’s commercial ties could prove difficult.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
New characters and backstory details are dropped in before existing loose ends are tied up, resulting in unclear motivations and convoluted layers of subplot that, ultimately, do not prove relevant enough to have been worth disentangling.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of disentangling

Verb

The latest breed of artificial intelligence assistants goes beyond the abilities of chatbots, which are great at answering questions and creating content.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
The chair of Fayette County Democrats, Tracy Wilson, said the Uniontown Police Department is already short-staffed and underfunded and believes the program could hinder officers from answering calls.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of answering

Verb

The Founder Cannot Carry Every hour a founder spends resolving a vendor dispute or approving a schedule change is an hour not spent on the few decisions only the founder can make.

— Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
The to-do list includes resolving myriad constituent concerns, many involving immigrants whose cases are in limbo because of changes enacted by the federal government.

— Marni Pyke, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of resolving

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
Drop it onto its magnetic base station when you're done playing, and never worry about untangling dead wires again.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of untangling

Browse Nearby Words

unraveled

unraveling

unravels

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“Unraveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unraveling. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unraveling

verb

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