unravel
verb /ʌnˈrævl/
/ʌnˈrævl/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they unravel | /ʌnˈrævl/ /ʌnˈrævl/ |
| he / she / it unravels | /ʌnˈrævlz/ /ʌnˈrævlz/ |
| past simple unravelled | /ʌnˈrævld/ /ʌnˈrævld/ |
| past participle unravelled | /ʌnˈrævld/ /ʌnˈrævld/ |
| (US English) past simple unraveled | /ʌnˈrævld/ /ʌnˈrævld/ |
| (US English) past participle unraveled | /ʌnˈrævld/ /ʌnˈrævld/ |
| -ing form unravelling | /ʌnˈrævlɪŋ/ /ʌnˈrævlɪŋ/ |
| (US English) -ing form unraveling | /ʌnˈrævlɪŋ/ /ʌnˈrævlɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] unravel (something) if you unravel threads that are twisted, woven or knitted, or if they unravel, they become separated
- I unravelled the string and wound it into a ball.
- [intransitive] (of a system, plan, relationship, etc.) to start to fail or no longer stay together as a wholeTopics Difficulty and failurec2
- [transitive, intransitive] unravel (something) to explain something that is difficult to understand or is mysterious; to become clearer or easier to understand
- The discovery will help scientists unravel the mystery of the Ice Age.
Extra Examples- a complicated relationship that is difficult to unravel
- Gradually, the mystery began to unravel.