WordGarden.iounravel
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnrˈævəl/
US
- /ənˈrævəl/
Meanings
Verb
to figure out or explain something complicated or mysterious
to undo twisted or woven strands, or to come apart into loose threads
to fall apart, lose control, or stop holding together
Beyond the definition
Imagine a cozy knitted sweater—beautiful and warm, but with one loose thread. If you pull on that thread, the whole thing can unravel, meaning it comes apart strand by strand. But "unravel" isn't just about physical objects! It also means to figure something out, like solving a mystery. A detective might work tirelessly to unravel a complex case, slowly piecing together clues until the truth is revealed.
Sometimes, though, things unravel in a negative way—plans fall apart or relationships break down. Think of it as either taking something apart to understand it, or watching something fall apart on its own. You might unravel a messy knot to save a piece of string, or watch your carefully laid weekend plans unravel when unexpected work comes up!
To unravel means to come undone, disentangle, or solve something, often slowly and step by step. It comes from the idea of loosening threads. Originally, it referred literally to undoing twisted yarn, rope, or fabric. For example: "She carefully unraveled the tangled yarn."
However, unravel has expanded far beyond physical objects. It often describes something deteriorating or falling into disarray over time. "After years of success, his career began to unravel." This suggests a slow decline where things that were once stable and organized start to fail.
More positively, unravel means to solve a mystery or understand a complex situation. "Investigators worked for months to unravel the truth behind the scandal." Here, it implies carefully examining details and untangling confusing information until clarity is achieved.
The word is also used for a person's state of mind. Unlike "unwind," which means to relax, if a person begins to unravel, it usually means they are losing emotional control or mental stability under great pressure. It describes the process of falling apart when stress becomes too much to manage.
So, whether it's a tangled mess, a failing plan, a puzzling mystery, or a loss of composure—to unravel is about the process of coming apart, becoming clear, or losing structure through loosening and disentangling.
Examples
- 1
Loose threads
A few loose threads were starting to unravel at the bottom of her scarf.
- 2
False story
His story began to unravel when the police checked the dates.
- Patternsomeone's story unravels
people start to see that it is false
- 3
Investigation
Detectives are still trying to unravel exactly what happened that night.
- 4
Project failure
After the budget cuts, the whole project unraveled in a matter of weeks.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Broken trust
Years of trust unraveled after one serious lie.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- unravel a mystery
- unravel the truth
- unravel a puzzle
- unravel a conspiracy
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
6 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- unravelverb
Forms
- unraveling-ing formverb
- unraveledpast tenseverb
- unravelling-ing formverb
- unravelsverb
- unravelledpast tenseverb