ravel
1 of 2verb
rav·el ˈra-vəl 
raveled or ravelled; raveling or ravelling ˈrav-liŋ
ˈra-və-
intransitive verb
1
: to become unwoven, untwisted, or unwound : fray
2
: break up, crumble
3
obsolete : to become entangled or confused
transitive verb
1
a
: to separate or undo the texture of : unravel
b
: to undo the intricacies of : disentangle
2
: entangle, confuse
raveler
ˈrav-lər
noun ˈra-və-
ravelment
ˈra-vəl-mənt
noun ravel
2 of 2noun
: an act or result of raveling: such as
a
: something tangled
b
: something raveled out
specifically : a loose thread
Synonyms
Verb
- disentangle
- unbraid
- unlay
- unravel
- unsnarl
- untangle
- untwine
- untwist
- unweave
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Ellen Akins, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2020 Her eight novels, including the 2016 bestseller Commonwealth, tend to focus on families or groups raveling and unraveling over decades. Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Sep. 2019 Now, with many New Yorkers complaining that life in New York is raveling under Mr. Bloomberg’s progressive successor, Bill de Blasio, a top Bloomberg lieutenant is telling his version of how the city was revitalized. Edward Kosner, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2017
Verb
So somehow, Grace, Sacha and Robert end up accompanying Art and Charlotte to Norfolk, and all of their stories unravel and ravel at once. Ellen Akins, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2020 Her eight novels, including the 2016 bestseller Commonwealth, tend to focus on families or groups raveling and unraveling over decades. Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Sep. 2019 Now, with many New Yorkers complaining that life in New York is raveling under Mr. Bloomberg’s progressive successor, Bill de Blasio, a top Bloomberg lieutenant is telling his version of how the city was revitalized. Edward Kosner, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2017 Word History
Etymology
Verb
Dutch rafelen, from rafel loose thread
First Known Use
Verb
circa 1540, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
1634, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
ravel
verb
rav·el ˈra-vəl
raveled or ravelled; raveling or ravelling
: unravel sense 1
We raveled the net for fishing.
Biographical Definition
Ravel
biographical name
Ra·vel rə-ˈvel
ra-
(Joseph) Mau*rice mȯ-ˈrēs 1875–1937 French composer
1875–1937 French composer Ravelian
rə-ˈve-lyən
adjective ra-
-lē-ən
raveled
verb
variants or ravelled
as in unraveled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unraveled
- unwound
- disentangled
- untangled
- unlaced
- unbraided
- untied
- loosened
- unsnarled
- unfastened
- loosed
- unbound
- unlashed
- undid
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- knotted
- tied
- bound
- fastened
- lashed
- braided
- wound
- tangled
- laced
- entangled
- interwove
- snarled
- winded
- interweaved
- interlaced