unravel
verb (used with object)
to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
were unravelling
-
past progressiveof unravel.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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 felt like they were unravelling a mystery together.
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2024
The six-member crew had little idea of how fast things were unravelling on the ground.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2021
A more plausible explanation, which comes from our analysis of his personal diaries, is that aspects of his professional life were unravelling.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 27, 2019
The first came at the start of Obama’s second term, when the promises of the Arab Spring were unravelling.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 5, 2018
The wind had freshened; the clouds were unravelling to its touch, and I could see clearly enough now across the desolate hill-top.
From Border Ghost Stories by Howard Pease
