1
as in fraying
to separate the various strands of
it took us forever to unravel the jumbled mass of Christmas tree lights
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in solving
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 unraveling
With storms closing in, dwindling fuel, and a panicked, pregnant passenger at the controls, Braden must talk her through an impossible landing while fighting his own exhaustion, guilt, and unraveling personal life.
—
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Abandoned Mansion smells like history and curiosity intertwined, the scent of someone worth unraveling.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
If your protagonist is unraveling, let the house fall apart too.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Liz’s role in The Change brings simmering conflicts to the surface, unraveling the fabric of the family just as the nation itself stands on edge during an alarming and challenging time of uncertainty.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Yet the current wave of raids and militarized enforcement is unraveling our vibrant community fabric.
—Jody Agius Vallejo, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Though the audience is privy to Laz’s motivations, outsiders, including Jenna, Seth, and his ex-wife Bella (Karla Crome), are able to see only a man overcome by grief and loss who is quickly unraveling.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
The old social contract—broad public trust and funding in exchange for academic freedom and institutional autonomy—is unraveling.
—Nicholas Dirks, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
By Ariana Eunjung Cha The Washington Post Persistent sleeplessness may be far worse than a passing annoyance — gradually unraveling memory and mental sharpness, according to new research.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Abandoned Mansion smells like history and curiosity intertwined, the scent of someone worth unraveling.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
If your protagonist is unraveling, let the house fall apart too.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Liz’s role in The Change brings simmering conflicts to the surface, unraveling the fabric of the family just as the nation itself stands on edge during an alarming and challenging time of uncertainty.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Yet the current wave of raids and militarized enforcement is unraveling our vibrant community fabric.
—Jody Agius Vallejo, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Though the audience is privy to Laz’s motivations, outsiders, including Jenna, Seth, and his ex-wife Bella (Karla Crome), are able to see only a man overcome by grief and loss who is quickly unraveling.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
The old social contract—broad public trust and funding in exchange for academic freedom and institutional autonomy—is unraveling.
—Nicholas Dirks, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
By Ariana Eunjung Cha The Washington Post Persistent sleeplessness may be far worse than a passing annoyance — gradually unraveling memory and mental sharpness, according to new research.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unraveling
Verb
-
However, India’s bilateral strategy is fraying.—
Pintu Kumar Mahla,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Ride Cadence Snowboard Boot But last season, due to general wear and tear, the metal cable of my laces started fraying.—
Lisa Jhung,
Outside,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Like Grace, who once struggled to find the right fit, her customers are solving the same problem—and the demand is reflected in the sales.—
Andre Claudio,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Solution for extreme environments Fluid Wire Robotics’ technology provides a major asset for NAAREA by solving the challenge of operating sensitive equipment in hostile zones.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Our narrator, a gay, happily married father of two disentangling himself from a poly love affair, is—depending on the light—brilliant, self-mythologizing, abject, hopeful, and vulnerable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Brittany Luse is joined by writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox to get into how people are disentangling alcohol from their lives, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.—
Veralyn Williams,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of testing a model on an endless series of questions to evaluate its ability to speak Russian, for example, one benchmark reviewed in the study measures a model’s performance on nine different tasks, like answering yes-or-no questions using information drawn from Russian-language Wikipedia.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Statesman is shining a spotlight on this election with news, in-depth enterprise reporting, exclusive watchdog stories, and our Voter Guide Q&As with candidates answering our questions.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Several reports suggested that the queen helped fund the settlement in hopes of resolving the matter quickly and quietly.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Over time, exceptions became the norm, and courts were tasked with resolving the gray areas.—
Bedassa Tadesse,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
While the rent freeze has been framed as relief for tenants, rising insurance costs may emerge as a new affordability killer in New York City, housing experts and economists told , undoing any savings tenants might have gained from a cap on rent.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Mbappe is not the only player capable of undoing the offside trap.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The procedural stories are simple whodunnits with a New York twist—Murder on Broadway has Hizzoner untangling the on-stage shooting at the closing of a long-running musical, for example.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Hanging ornaments with care can be one of the highlights of the holiday season, but untangling wads of string lights is far less enjoyable.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unraveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unraveling. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share