unraveling

verb

present participle of unravel
1
as in fraying
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 solving
to find an answer for through reasoning unraveled the mystery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 unraveling Metalpoint is delicate by comparison with ink, almost weblike; but in both cases, the drawings are unraveling clusters and skeins, with passages both tight and loose. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 In spite of Desiree's civil case unraveling in 2013, public suspicion continued to follow Terri. — Eileen Murphy, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Terrill pointed to the purchase of the Grass Campus as the pivotal decision in the federation’s unraveling. — Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 Even so, Sepahvand, now director at Daric Investment Group, said Iran's economy is indeed deteriorating under the weight of mounting sanctions — but far from unraveling. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026 Now researchers are using advanced imaging technology to look at the narwhal’s tusk in unprecedented detail—studying it in the hope of unraveling some of its mysteries. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 Alex Cooper seems intent on unraveling some of the current relationships that have helped underpin her production company, Unwell. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026 There must be aspirational elements, typically wealthy characters wearing Brunello Cucinelli while emotionally unraveling in Nancy Meyers-worthy kitchens. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 Hal, a veteran of the Green Lantern Corps, begrudgingly mentors his new replacement while unraveling an alien mystery in rural Nebraska. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unraveling
  1. fraying
  2. solving
  3. disentangling
  4. answering
  5. untwisting
  6. resolving
  7. undoing
  8. untangling
Verb
  • Amid competing global crises and shifting donor priorities, that safety net is fraying.
    — Lorcan Lovett, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
  • To help prevent the fabric around the drawstring hole from fraying, paint a rectangle and snip an opening in the channel as described below.
    — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • According to the researchers, careful process design and optimization as well as architecture simplification could help in solving most of these issues, something that industrial production focuses on much more than academic researchers.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, the agents had, by collaborating amongst themselves, quickly found a way to manufacture answers to cyber challenges without actually solving the questions in the way ExploitGym’s creators had intended.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of solving
Verb
  • Cutting Iran off completely from the UAE could deal a serious blow to the Islamic Republic’s economy — but experts say disentangling the pair’s commercial ties could prove difficult.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • New characters and backstory details are dropped in before existing loose ends are tied up, resulting in unclear motivations and convoluted layers of subplot that, ultimately, do not prove relevant enough to have been worth disentangling.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of disentangling
Verb
  • This includes interpreting standing rules and precedents, advising on the wording of motions, helping formulate statements, and answering parliamentary inquiries or points of order.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Imagine answering the call of nature in a dark, stinking chamber alongside dozens of strangers, all while making pleasant conversation.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of answering
Verb
  • In a feat of precision physics, researchers from Cornell and Stanford Universities have filmed atoms twisting and untwisting in perfect sync, a choreography that unfolds in just a trillionth of a second.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2025
Definition of untwisting
Verb
  • Debt relief companies charge fees based on the amount of debt enrolled or the amount saved through settlement, which means resolving $50,000 in debt can come with substantial additional costs.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The payout is part of a massive multistate settlement resolving claims that Meta intentionally designed its products to be addictive and knowingly exposed young people to mental harm.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of resolving
Verb
  • The appellate panel voiced serious doubts about undoing the consent decree at oral arguments in June.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That jar of retinol on your nightstand only works if the rest of your evening habits are not undoing it.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of undoing
Verb
  • To try Cruz’s favorite technique yourself, start by untangling the cables in your desk drawer.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Japan, meanwhile, has spent the past several years untangling another mess.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of untangling

Browse Nearby Words

unraveled
unraveling
unravels
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Cite this Entry

“Unraveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unraveling. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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