UNRAVELING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

unraveling

verb

present participle of unravel

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

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 The seven-minute video, sent in early May 2021, offered a step-by-step guide for carrying out modern warfare in a country where everything seemed to be unraveling. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 The familiar imperial arc—expansion, overreach, strain, unraveling—once played out across a century or even a millennium. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 The first was just before the publication of the exposes by journalist John Carreyrou that resulted in Theranos’ unraveling. — Matthew Herper, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026 The violence has left many in France with a sense that their nation was unraveling with a deeply unpopular president struggling to manage a growing debt crisis amid extreme social and political divisions. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Passmore plays David, a divorced, broke, and unraveling father who sets out for California with his oldest son, William (Nagy), on a two-thousand-mile drive. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Both teams now limp into Saturday's game in Austin with bruised bodies and egos, and carrying a whiff of desperation for a win to keep the season from unraveling. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 The developments frustrated the Ukrainian military and deepened fears that Kyiv's relationship with Washington is unraveling. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 Splitting or unraveling seams followed at 55 percent, with pilling at 50 percent. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unraveling

Verb

The murder of two Israeli soldiers in the West Bank is the jumping-off point for a large-scale invasion of the Palestinian territory, a move that would further test the nation’s fraying relationship with the United States.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
During the Lin regime, one source told us that relationships with filmmakers were fraying.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraying

Verb

Another to stop solving problems his team brings him and teach them to solve it instead.

— Ben Plomion, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Especially in a creative company like ours, the best ideas come from people in the same room, sharing perspectives, challenging one another and solving problems.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Oct. 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

Organizers arranged flights and hotels along the way and provided instructions on answering immigration officers’ questions.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Their flexibility is useful when writing, summarizing, brainstorming, or answering broad questions.

— Ethan Stone, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of answering

Verb

Not only successfully resolving all the thousands of cases for individuals, but bringing resources back to our community, providing historic tax relief, securing the border.

— Dan Snyder, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Although each state has its own rules on raising and resolving a challenge from county officials, certifying the election results is a mandatory duty.

— Philip Wang, Time, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of resolving

Verb

In simplified terms, the process involves undoing six bolts and disconnecting a couple of electrical connectors.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026
The Senate will soon weigh in on the latest Farm Bill, which now seeks to expand market opportunities for mink farmers by undoing a prohibition in federal law on subsidizing the fur trade.

— Nat Lash, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of undoing

Verb

The chemistry prize recognized two scientists for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery that has been used to develop countless drugs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Drop it onto its magnetic base station when you're done playing, and never worry about untangling dead wires again.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of untangling

Browse Nearby Words

unraveled

unraveling

unravels

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“Unraveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unraveling. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unraveling

verb

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