unravel

/(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩/

//(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unravel" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unravel” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,849. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,849
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cause (something) to no longer be ravelled or tangled; to disentangle, to untangle.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unravel · unravel · English

unravel · rank #22,849 · 10 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,849
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH unquestionably

Nearest frequency peer: unquestionably (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unravel”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unravel” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unravel
PropertyValue
Headwordunravel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩/
Letters7
Frequency rank#22,849
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unravel”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).unravellands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “unquestionably” (#22,848), “variously” (#22,850), “unqualified” (#22,847). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unravel” is #22,849. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around unravel (IPA /(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩/), averb. Corpus frequency is #22,849 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for unravel, with forms such as "nuravel", "unarvel", and "unnravel". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *h₂énti From un- (suffix denoting the inverse of the specified action) + ravel. cognates * Dutch ontrafelen (“to unravel”) The correct English form is unravel, spelled U-N-R-A-V-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause (something) to no longer be ravelled or tangled; to disentangle, to untangle.
  2. 2
    To separate the threads of (something knitted or woven, such as clothing or fabric).
  3. 3
    To separate the connected or united parts of (something); to throw (something) into disorder; to confound, to confuse, to disintegrate.
  4. 4
    To clear (something) from complication or difficulty; to investigate and solve (a mystery, a problem, etc.); to disentangle, to unfold, to work out.
  5. 5
    To reverse or undo (something); to annul, to negate.
  6. 6
    To become no longer ravelled or tangled.
  7. 7
    Of threads: to become separated from something knitted or woven, such as clothing or fabric; also, of something knitted or woven: to separate into threads; to come apart.
  8. 8
    Of a thing: to have its connected or united parts separated; to be thrown into disorder; to become confused or undone; to collapse.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unravel appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Mother couldn’t unravel the ball of wool after the cat had played with it.
  2. [S]he taking as the watchword of his true patience, vnraueld the bottome [i.e., ball of thread] of her frailtie at length, […]

Etymology

PIE word *h₂énti From un- (suffix denoting the inverse of the specified action) + ravel. cognates * Dutch ontrafelen (“to unravel”)

This word in other languages

deshilar(Español)démêler(Français)aufdröseln(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nuravel
  • unarvel
  • unnravel
  • unraevl
  • unravell
  • unravle
  • unravvel
  • unrravel
  • unrvael
  • urnavel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unravel - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

nuravel2unarvel2unnravel1unraevl2unravell1unravle2unravvel1unrravel1
Edit distance from "unravel"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unravel"?
"unravel" is spelled U-N-R-A-V-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩/.
What does "unravel" mean?
As a verb, "unravel" means: To cause (something) to no longer be ravelled or tangled; to disentangle, to untangle.
What are common misspellings of "unravel"?
Common misspellings include "nuravel", "unarvel", "unnravel", "unraevl", "unravell". The correct spelling is "unravel".
How do you pronounce "unravel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unravel" is /(ˌ)ʌnˈɹævl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unravel"?
PIE word *h₂énti From un- (suffix denoting the inverse of the specified action) + ravel. cognates * Dutch ontrafelen (“to unravel”) See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unravel", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

tangent#22,835sulfate#22,830zoology#22,869aborted#22,873

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

stinks10 variantssignage10 variantsscourge10 variantsprequel10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list