unravel
Americanverb (used with object)
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to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
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to free from complication or difficulty; make plain or clear; solve.
to unravel a situation; to unravel a mystery.
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Informal. to take apart; undo; destroy (a plan, agreement, or arrangement).
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to reduce (something knitted or woven) to separate strands
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(tr) to undo or untangle (something tangled or knotted)
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(tr) to explain or solve
the mystery was unravelled
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(intr) to become unravelled
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unravel
Explanation
However tempting, don't pull that straggly thread hanging from your sleeve. You'll just unravel, or totally undo, your hand-knitted sweater. Something that's unraveled has been completely undone, whether it's a spool of thread, some knotty shoelaces, or your mental state after a long and frustrating day. You can also unravel a mystery by picking it apart, untangling the details or just following the trail of clues like a line of string.
Vocabulary lists containing unravel
Power Prefix: un-
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List 11
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The recent flare-up in hostilities threatens to unravel the cease-fire, keeping risk premium in place, Nikos Tzabouras of Tradu says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
Multiple sources told BBC Sport that leadership meetings became increasingly quiet as Rosenior's tenure began to unravel, with the head coach struggling to generate the level of participation he had hoped for.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
Around that same time, investigators were trying to unravel a possibly unrelated local smash-and-grab theft ring targeting Lego toys.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
As lives and livelihoods come under threat, and close bonds begin to unravel, she is forced to make drastic choices to emerge unscathed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
His composure, which Smith had patiently schooled into him over six months, began to unravel.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
