What does "unspin" mean?
To unravel (something spun, knit, or woven).
Unspin
verb
verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To unravel (something spun, knit, or woven).
- Grammar: unspin is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: undo, unravel.
- Useful contrasts: spinning.
- Usage evidence: They cannot unspin or unweave themselves, they are threads either of warp or woof.
How to use "unspin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "unspin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "unspin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "unspin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "unspin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "unspin" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "undo" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "unspin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To unravel (something spun, knit, or woven). transitive
"They cannot unspin or unweave themselves, they are threads either of warp or woof."
- 2 To counteract fate. figuratively, transitive
"Since pen and ink cannot alter facts, nor clotho herself unspin the thread of destiny ( § 39 ) , the historian's sole business is to narrate what has happened;"
- 3 To untwist (something that is twisted or wound) ambitransitive
"I contemplated "unspinning" everything into the two separate colors, but knew I did not have the patience to unwind that much yarn."
- 4 To stop (something) from spinning.
"You have to unspin it or the whole world will be sucked down into it."
- 5 To unmake. transitive
"the garments of they righeousness are light as the web of gossamer, and shall be blown away by the breath of the Eternal, in that day when he will unspin all that nature hath ever woven."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 To counteract or decipher a complicated web of lies, statements, arguments, traditions, etc.
"It was an impulse to use art to unspin poisonous “social/psycho/spiritual” formations."
- 7 To reveal the truth behind PR (public relations) or slanted reporting.
"Around the pressroom, there was a palpable sense of satisfaction from knowing that, on this rare occasion, sportswriters and broadcasters could unspin the corporate spin, restore the proper pecking order to the basketball universe."
- 8 To disentangle. transitive
"It took about six of us to unspin that web, but finally the whole mess was lowered to the deck ."
- 9 To happen; to unfold; to develop.
"My life bifurcated. On half of it continued to unspin itself gently in the parklands of the Embassy, the other in and out of government offices, getting a little tangled in the process,"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"They cannot unspin or unweave themselves, they are threads either of warp or woof."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "unspin"?
Common synonyms include: undo, unravel.
How do you use "unspin" in a sentence?
They cannot unspin or unweave themselves, they are threads either of warp or woof.
Etymology
From un- + spin.