untangle
Free from snarls
To untangle is to free something from knots, snarls, or tangles: She sat patiently untangling the Christmas lights.
The word extends naturally to sorting out confusion or complexity: It took months to untangle the company's finances.
You can untangle a mystery, a legal dispute, or your own thoughts.
Separate intertwined strands
- unwindRelease accumulated tension
- unknotRemove a tangle
- loosenReduce tension or grip
- unbraidUndo interwoven strands
unweave · unlace · untwist · unsnarl · comb · tease · straighten · separate
Separate intertwined strands
- decipherConvert code to plaintext
- decodeConvert from cipher
- figure outDetermine through reasoning
- work outExercise or solve
puzzle out · crack · solve · resolve · dissect · analyze · piece together · sort out
Without payment or restriction
- liberateSet free from captivity
- releaseTo let go
- extractConcentrated derived substance
- disengageBreak free from attachment
separate · detach · unbind · unfetter · unshackle · rescue · remove · escape
Make something understood
- elucidateTo make understood
- simplifyMake less complex
- demystifyExplain something confusing
- illuminateSupply with radiance
shed light · clear up · spell out · break down · interpret · translate · explicate · make clear
unravel
Separate intertwined strands
unbraid · unweave · unlace · untwist · unsnarl · comb · tease · straighten · separate · detach
unravel
Separate intertwined strands
- decipherConvert code to plaintext
- decodeConvert from cipher
- figure outDetermine through reasoning
work out · puzzle out · crack · solve · resolve · dissect · analyze · piece together · sort out · make sense of
free
Without payment or restriction
disengage · separate · detach · unbind · unfetter · unshackle · rescue · remove · escape · disentwine
explain
Make something understood
illuminate · shed light · clear up · spell out · break down · interpret · translate · explicate · make clear · straighten out
knot
Tied rope fastening
jumble · maze · labyrinth · gordian · confusion · muddle · morass · intricacy · complication · convolution
- unfasteningunfasten, detach, disconnect, unbuckle, unbutton
- straighten outunbend, flatten, untwist, uncurl, uncoil
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
- communication verbssay, speak, tell, talk, ask
- separationsseparate, split, break up, parting, sever
- understandingunderstand, comprehend, grasp, fathom, follow