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unravel

[/ʌnˈrævəl/]
verb
desenrolar
1. To untangle or undo something that is knotted or woven together
She carefully unraveled the tangled yarn.
Ela cuidadosamente desenrolou o fio emaranhado.
2. To solve or explain something mysterious or complicated
The detective worked to unravel the mystery.
O detetive trabalhou para desvendar o mistério.
3. To fall apart or disintegrate, often in a gradual way
His carefully planned project began to unravel.
Seu projeto cuidadosamente planejado começou a desmoronar.
4. To cause something woven or knitted to separate into threads
The sweater began to unravel at the seam.
O suéter começou a desfiar na costura.
Synonyms
untangleunwinddisentanglesolvedecipherunwindunravel
Antonyms
tangleknitweavecomplicateentangle

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
desenrolar
most common form
General Brazilian
desvendar
used when meaning to solve or uncover a mystery
Portugal
desenrolar
standard usage for untangling
Portugal
desfiar
specifically for textiles coming undone

Related Idioms & Phrases

unravel a mystery
unravel the truth
come unraveled
unravel at the seams
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