raveling

Fabric coming apart

A raveling is a thread or fiber that has come loose from woven fabric, typically at a frayed edge.

The word also names the process of unraveling itself—fabric coming apart strand by strand.

Ravelings hung from the torn hem of her jeans.

Also spelled ravelling.

unraveling

fraying

Coming apart threadwise

unweavingReversing interlaced work
looseningReducing tightness or tension
untanglingSeparating twisted strands

disentangling · unwinding · separating · detaching · unbraiding · untying · coming apart · disintegrating · deteriorating · pulling apart

pavement

rutting

Mating season behavior

crackingBreaking without separating completely
patchingRepairing by covering
potholesPavement depressions from wear

depressions · corrugations · faulting · bleeding · shoving · swelling · distress · deterioration · fraying · disintegration

textile

thread

Fiber for stitching

yarnTwisted strand for crafts
fabricWoven or knit material
knittingLoop-based textile making

weaving · wool · cotton · silk · linen · tapestry · loom · crochet · stitching · sewing

Categories

wear damageabrasion, fraying, pilling, thinning, threadbare
road defectspothole, crack, cracking, rutting, rut
fiberscotton, wool, silk, linen, hemp
fabric flawssnag, tear, hole, pilling, fray
textile scrapsfabric scraps, lint, scraps, cuttings, clippings

Opposites

fabric integrity

ravelingmending

Restoring damaged items

repairing · hemming · darning · stitching · binding

thread organization

ravelingtangling

Intertwining into disorder

knotting · intertwining · braiding · twisting · interlacing

thread/fiber order

ravelinguntangling

Separating twisted strands

unraveling · smoothing · unknotting · unscrambling · straightening

Family

unravel, ravel, unraveled, unravels, ravels, ravelled, ravelling, raveled, unravelling

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