unravels

verb

present tense third-person singular of unravel
1
as in frays
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 solves
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 unravels In games, Riley Park unravels a sinister mystery around the fictional children’s television show Amanda the Adventurer after discovering a mysterious video tape in their late aunt Kate’s attic. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 Unless Smith gets hurt or the season unravels enough to prompt a quarterback change, Klubnik will likely spend his rookie year learning behind the veteran. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 With polished prose and impeccable research, historian Philbrick unravels the Golden State’s ties to profit, enslavement and white supremacy. — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Elaine unravels that mystery, weaving together the way insurance companies’ coverage decisions have shaped how these medicines are used. — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026 Among the 14 movies vying for the Golden Eye is Rhys Marc Jones’ Black Church Bay, a mystery-thriller starring Tom Cullen and Joe Locke about a man whose world unravels after an intimate encounter with a younger man. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 This solve is polished for a couple of newbies, with an inventive theme that unravels in a quirky, pleasing way that’s especially charming coming from a parent-child team. — Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2026 Interrupted by power outages, a relentlessly barking dog and the unexpected arrival of a celebrated composer, the conversation steadily unravels. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Zendaya and Pattinson play an engaged couple whose relationship unravels after a confession over dinner. — ABC News, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unravels
  1. frays
  2. solves
  3. untangles
  4. resolves
  5. smooths
  6. answers
  7. undoes
Verb
  • Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.
    — William Garriott, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of frays
Verb
  • Petal solves this using a single-body 96-amp repeater equipped with a specialized Fan-In/Fan-Out interface.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ooni’s Volt 2, an electric countertop pizza oven, solves that problem, reaching commercial temperatures of up to 850 degrees Fahrenheit safely.
    — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of solves
Verb
  • Swift’s voice sounds steadier too, as her tone rises above the backing vocals and more coherently untangles her frustrations.
    — Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Bellamy and Evans’ prenup could now take center stage as the couple untangles their finances.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of untangles
Verb
  • The subsequent settlement resolves the litigation without requiring a trial on damages or the remaining issues.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The need-to-know this morning Liquidia and United Therapeutics reached a settlement agreement that resolves their ongoing patent litigation over Liquidia’s treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
    — Elaine Chen, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of resolves
Verb
  • All of this pillow talk smooths Kate’s path to selling Hal on her idea of extracting the bodies from the Russian sub.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The setup smooths the music’s flux without sacrificing the flavor of all the places and styles the album spans.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of smooths
Verb
  • But the press secretary also answers to the public, says former Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.
    — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Our sports team delivered tremendous coverage that answers that question and many more.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of answers
Verb
  • Guadagnino undoes the bubble wrap and discovers Bertolucci’s viewfinder, a key relic for a filmmaker who may well have had the best eye in cinema history.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The substitution effect undoes some of the potential health gains.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of undoes

Browse Nearby Words

unraveling
unravels
unreachable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unravels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unravels. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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