Synonyms for ravel
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Knot — to confuse or perplex (someone or something)
perplex, muddle, involve, confound, confuse, puzzle, bewilder, embroil, muddy, perturb, jumble, fluster, baffle, befuddle, addle, disconcert, flummox, knot dated
2. Tangle — to entwine or tangle (something) confusedly; to entangle
tangle, matt UK, mat US, matte US, snarl, ensnare, enmesh, ensnarl, implicate dated
3. Iron out — often followed by out, to undo the intricacies of (a problem, etc.); to clarify, to disentangle
work out, iron out, puzzle out, re-solve, riddle, solve, decipher, unriddle, unsolve dated
4. Weave — often followed by up, to form (something) out of discrete elements, like weaving fabric from threads; to knit
Definitions
- v. 1
To entwine or tangle (something) confusedly; to entangle.
- v. 2
Often followed by up: to form (something) out of discrete elements, like weaving fabric from threads; to knit.
- v. 3
To confuse or perplex (someone or something).
- v. 4
Often followed by out: to undo the intricacies of (a problem, etc.); to clarify, to disentangle.
Forms
- Past participle
- raveled
e.g. raveled → perplexed, muddled, involved, confounded…
Example sentences
- puzzle Let's puzzle over Lewis Carroll's Pillow-Problems!
- matt Dan hit Matt and forced him to apologize to Linda.
- tangle I wish I could tangle your hair into beautiful braids.
- disintegrate Comets start to disintegrate as they approach the sun.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| ravel | falling | |
| puzzle | rising | |
| perplex | steady | |
| matt | falling | |
| tangle | rising | |
| disintegrate | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- mat1
- 4 letters
- race1, matt1, knot1, knit1, undo2
- 5 letters
- solve1, muddy2, matte1, weave1, snarl1, addle2
- 6 letters
- puzzle2, riddle2, tangle2, unwind2, muddle2, jumble2, baffle2, ravage2, unmake, enmesh2
- 7 letters
- involve2, confuse2, ensnare2, perplex2, perturb2, fluster2, embroil2, untwist, flummox2, ensnarl2, unsolve
- 8 letters
- decipher3, confound2, bewilder3, befuddle3, unriddle
- 9 letters
- implicate3
- 10 letters
- disconcert3
- 12 letters
- disintegrate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (undo2 = 2 syllables).