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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unravel
The Trump administration’s reductions in foreign aid threaten to unravel over two decades of U.S. investment in global security and economic growth.
—
Kathryn Rhine, The Conversation, 19 May 2025
The Tenant by Freida McFadden An unemployed man and his fiancée take in a seemingly kind tenant, but their new lodger's mysterious presence soon reveals a dark side that threatens to unravel their lives.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Throughout Season 2, viewers have watched lead protagonist Colter Shaw, played by Justin Hartley, slowly unravel his family’s complicated dynamics and the mystery of his father’s death.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Brooks plays Eddie, a ghost from Jax’s past resurfaces, bringing with him a whirlwind of unresolved tension that threatens to unravel everything she’s worked so hard to build.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Kathryn Rhine, The Conversation, 19 May 2025
The Tenant by Freida McFadden An unemployed man and his fiancée take in a seemingly kind tenant, but their new lodger's mysterious presence soon reveals a dark side that threatens to unravel their lives.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Throughout Season 2, viewers have watched lead protagonist Colter Shaw, played by Justin Hartley, slowly unravel his family’s complicated dynamics and the mystery of his father’s death.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Brooks plays Eddie, a ghost from Jax’s past resurfaces, bringing with him a whirlwind of unresolved tension that threatens to unravel everything she’s worked so hard to build.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unravel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravel
Verb
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He’s healed physically, but his mental health is frayed.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
29 May 2025
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The partnership of Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has been central to White House operations since the administration took office in January, but with Musk now stepping away from the limelight, there are signs that the personal bond between the two has frayed.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Eventually the problem of making safe, fuel-efficient, consumer-friendly automobiles was more or less solved.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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With an intention to welcome 1 million foreign workers over the next three years, the plan to solve Spain's overtourism issues has never been more prescient.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Verb
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That arrangement was always intended to be temporary, but for nearly two decades, the details of untangling such massive, important institutions have bedeviled three presidential administrations – including Trump’s first.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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In fact, Trump attempted to untangle Fannie and Freddie from US government control in 2019 during his first administration and failed. Fannie and Freddie essentially grease the wheels of America’s home lending market by buying mortgages from lenders and repackaging them for investors.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Increasingly, all of this data can be collected and resolved within a client’s organization (or in combination with partners) to facilitate greater control while opening up new opportunities in co-marketing and personalization, Camoosa says.—
Acxiom Contributor,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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However, neither group seemed to want to resolve the discrepancy between their two theories of how vertebrate palliums evolved, according to García-Moreno.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Wired News,
11 May 2025
Verb
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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
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Hogg claimed the vote can't be disentangled from his dispute with the party.—
Brittany Shepherd,
ABC News,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Los Angeles has plenty of questions to answer about the future of the roster, and the front office will be very busy.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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Your Friends & Neighbors wrapped up its freshman season by answering one big question — who killed Paul? — and left us pondering a few others.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
30 May 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 Jun. 2025.
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