as in to uncoil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unspool
The characters in Kazuo Ishiguro’s novels have a tendency to unspool when faced with their Rube Goldberg prompt to do so, the three-act nature of their memories ripe for successful cinema adaptation.
—
Blake Simons, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
However, steel wool can also rust, and tends to unspool into untidy-looking shapes.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025
Inspired by the life and work of poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, the film will unspool across three timelines, namely, modern-day Spain, and the country before and then during the Spanish Civil War.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 May 2025
It’s maintained an idiosyncratic spirit all along, combining references from across rock history—a Bob Dylan harmonica line here, a Cars synth line there—with lyrics that unspool in unsteady, careening cadences.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unspool
Blake Simons, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
However, steel wool can also rust, and tends to unspool into untidy-looking shapes.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025
Inspired by the life and work of poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, the film will unspool across three timelines, namely, modern-day Spain, and the country before and then during the Spanish Civil War.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 May 2025
It’s maintained an idiosyncratic spirit all along, combining references from across rock history—a Bob Dylan harmonica line here, a Cars synth line there—with lyrics that unspool in unsteady, careening cadences.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unspool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unspool
Verb
-
Over 100 snakes removed from homeowner’s garden in Sydney A sight like this would rattle the nerves of most homeowners … Read how a snake catcher uncoiled the mystery behind a backyard snake infestation.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN,
7 Feb. 2025
-
The snake uncoiled and hung down between the engine and the tire, looking at him with yellow beady eyes.—
Karen Bartunek,
The Arizona Republic,
13 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
For many of us, summer is a time to unwind, enjoy warm weather, eat well, bask in good company, and maybe even get lost in a new city or beach town.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
But more often than not, your cat is just unwinding in a spot that feels cozy and safe.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
Her transcripts of their conversations can read like early drafts of movie dialogue between two erudite thinkers, untangling the convoluted knots of difficult family histories.—
Evelyn McDonnell
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
-
This phone call helps cool temperatures, but the two sides must still untangle the web of structural disputes that remain: market access, data sovereignty, digital infrastructure, and the growing rift over AI and semiconductors.—
Shannon Carroll,
Quartz,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
When a series of murders begins in the area, her sister also turns up missing, throwing her headfirst into unraveling the crime spree.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
-
Leah’s inheritance becomes the inciting incident in a series of events that unravel her life: Her trip awakens a latent violence in her husband and an invigorating independent streak in her.—
Xochitl Gonzalez,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Twist hair onto the barrel, holding for a few seconds near the root, and then untwist.—
Claire Sullivan,
WWD,
3 Sep. 2019
-
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
-
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
-
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
“Unspool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unspool. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share