MEANING
1. To separate threads or strands from something woven or twisted.
2. To discover the explanation or structure of a complicated problem.
3. To come apart as an organized arrangement or stable condition.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- unravel a sweater
- unravel a knot
On the page
A loose thread began to unravel the cuff.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- unravel
- Past tense
- unraveled
- Past participle
- unraveled
- Present participle
- unraveling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- unravel
- Present continuous
- am/is/are unraveling
- Present perfect
- have/has unraveled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been unraveling
- Past
- unraveled
- Past continuous
- was/were unraveling
- Past perfect
- had unraveled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been unraveling
- Future
- will unravel
- Future continuous
- will be unraveling
- Future perfect
- will have unraveled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been unraveling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: unravel; unravels; unraveled; unraveled; unraveling Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: unravels.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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