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to solve

to solve

1.3
To find the answer to a problem or puzzle
  • verb
  • /sɑlv/
translation icon : resolver
  • Think, what could you do to actually solve this problem?
  • solve problems
  • solve equations
  • solve mathematical problems

So that's one and how does it solve PTSD?

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Examples

  • So, how do you solve this problem?

  • But how you actually solve it, that's your task.

  • And this one you cannot solve either, right?

  • And it turns out that you can solve this exactly.

  • We solve nothing by running away from it.

  • And without an economy, we are not going to solve the problems this nation faces.

    Academic text (2012)
  • But it may also fail to solve the problem it is meant to address.

    Academic text (2017)
  • And if only humans could do this, we would solve a lot of conflicts.

  • And that's a problem that we're going to have to solve sooner or later.

  • In order to succeed, we must learn how to solve complex equations.

Synonyms

to figure out
vsto solve
  • Informal
2.2

To think about something and find an answer or understand it

is more neutral, applying to careful or formal cases
to work out
vsto solve
950 2.8

To find a solution or plan by thinking carefully

covers quick or informal answers as well as careful ones
to resolve
vsto solve
623 3.3

To find an answer to a problem and end a disagreement

emphasizes understanding or explaining rather than only concluding matters
to answer
vsto solve
544 1.0

To find or give a solution to a problem

is broader, covering many ways to end a problem
to work it out
vsto solve
165 3.2

To find an answer to a problem by thinking or talking

focuses more on explaining or understanding than only settling
to find a solution
vsto solve
41 2.7

To think of a way to solve a problem

is also about understanding, not only finding a method
to lick
vsto solve
  • Informal
24 8.0

To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty

is the neutral word for finding answers without slang tone
8 5.2

To make a difficult or confusing problem clear

is not always focused on complexity or tangled cases
to puzzle out
vsto solve
4 4.4

To think hard to find the answer to a difficult problem

is broader, not always requiring long or deep thinking
to unriddle
vsto solve
1 7.2

To find the answer to a riddle or mystery

is more general, not limited to mysterious cases

Antonyms

266 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

101 4.1

To make something harder to understand or do

Phrasal Verbs

To find solutions to difficult situations

How Complete

to solve
1.3
solving
34 2.5

Surface Forms

solve infinitive
solved past
solved past participle
solving present participle
solves third person singular

Etymology

The word solve comes from an old Latin word solvere, which means 'to loosen' or 'to untie'. So to solve a problem is like untying a knot to find the answer, and you can see the same root in solution.