unravel
verb (used with object)
to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
unravelled
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past participleof unravel.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof unravel.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
unravelverb (used with object)to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
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.
It was the worst attack by the Houthis since a four-year truce in Yemen's long-running civil war unravelled in July.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
Matthew said thinking back to the time his mother's lies unravelled was like a "fever dream".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
A lot has happened since head coach Danny Rohl, who has been replaced by Derek McInnes, watched his team limp to the finish after their season unravelled in a post-split collapse.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
On it, smart cameras installed around his home relayed images of his house, now under clear blue skies, with the hosepipe in the yard unravelled where he left it.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Even so, I kept worrying that one of the strings would come unravelled and a single balloon would sail off up into that cloudy sky.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
