To solve something is to find the answer to it or a way to deal with it, such as a problem, a puzzle, a mystery or a maths equation. It is a regular verb (solve, solves, solved, solving), and it comes from a Latin word that meant “to loosen” or “to untie.” Below we cover how to use it, the synonyms that fit different situations, and where it came from.
What Does Solve Mean?
The core idea behind solve is getting from “stuck” to “sorted.” Something is tangled, hidden or unanswered, and solving it gets you through. Dictionaries split the verb into several senses (the OED lists nine, four of them now obsolete), and we think four of them are worth knowing.
1. To find the answer or explanation for something. This is the everyday sense. You solve a riddle, a crossword clue, a crime or a mystery. The thing being solved has a correct answer that someone has to find.
Detectives took eleven years to solve the case.
2. To work out a mathematical answer. In maths, you solve an equation or a problem by finding the value or values that make it true. Teachers often phrase it as “solve for x.”
Solve the equation 3x − 5 = 10.
3. To deal with a difficulty successfully. Here there is no single correct answer. You find a fix that works. Companies solve supply problems, cities try to solve traffic congestion, and friends help each other solve money worries.
A second bus route would solve the overcrowding at rush hour.
4. To loosen or dissolve (archaic). This was the original English meaning, and you’ll only meet it in old texts, in poetry, or in the alchemical motto solve et coagula (“dissolve and coagulate”). Nobody uses solve this way in modern conversation.
There is also an informal noun use, which we cover further down. Puzzle fans and speedcubers talk about “a fast solve” or “my best solve of the year.”
Pronunciation and Verb Forms
Solve is one syllable. The vowel shifts a little by region:
- British English: /sɒlv/, with the short “o” of lot
- American English: /sɑːlv/ or /sɔːlv/, closer to salve in some accents
- Simple respelling: SOLV
The “l” is pronounced, unlike in walk or calm. Solve is a regular verb, so its forms follow the standard pattern:
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Base | solve | We need to solve this before Friday. |
| Third person singular | solves | She solves the Sunday crossword in ink. |
| Past simple | solved | They solved the leak with a new washer. |
| Past participle | solved | The mystery has never been solved. |
| Present participle | solving | He spent the whole flight solving sudoku. |
The related nouns are solution (the answer itself) and solver (the person or tool doing the solving). The adjective is solvable, and its opposite is unsolvable. A crime or mystery that nobody has cracked is unsolved.
Examples of Solve in a Sentence
Seeing a word in context is the quickest way to learn its range. These are sentences we wrote to show the main patterns.
Problems and difficulties
1. Shouting at the printer won’t solve anything.
2. The new software solved most of our scheduling problems within a month.
3. Money alone rarely solves a staffing crisis.
4. If we start early, we can solve the parking issue before the guests arrive.
Puzzles, games and riddles
5. My grandmother has solved the newspaper crossword every morning for forty years.
6. Can you solve this riddle without looking at the answer?
7. It took me six guesses to solve today’s word puzzle.
8. The escape room was designed so a team of four could solve it in under an hour.
Crimes and mysteries
9. The police solved the burglary thanks to a neighbour’s doorbell camera.
10. Some historical mysteries will probably never be solved.
Maths and science
11. Solve for y when x equals 7.
12. Students learn to solve quadratic equations in their second year.
13. The class solved the word problems in pairs.
Passive and adjective uses
14. Problem solved: the spare key was in the glovebox all along.
15. Checkers is now considered a solved game.
16. The town has a museum devoted to unsolved local mysteries.
Usage tip
Solve needs an object. You solve something. “We need to solve” sounds unfinished, so add what you’re solving: “We need to solve the delay.”
Words That Go Well With Solve
Some nouns sit naturally after solve, and some sound slightly off. Native speakers rarely think about this, but it is where learners and even fluent writers trip up.
Natural partners (strong collocations):
– solve a problem, puzzle, riddle, mystery
– solve a crime, case, murder
– solve an equation, sum, formula
– solve a crisis, shortage, dilemma
– solve a crossword, sudoku, Rubik’s Cube
Adverbs that often appear with it: easily, quickly, finally, eventually, partially, never.
The puzzle looked hard, but we finally solved it after lunch.
Where solve sounds wrong. Disagreements between people usually take resolve or settle instead. “They resolved the dispute” sounds natural, while “they solved the dispute” sounds clumsy to most ears. The same goes for arguments, conflicts and differences. A conflict isn’t a puzzle with an answer. It is a situation people agree to end.
“Solve an issue” sits in the middle. You’ll hear it constantly in tech support and business email, and it is perfectly understandable, but “resolve an issue” or “fix an issue” is the more polished choice in formal writing.
One more trap: “solve the solution” is redundant. You solve the problem, and the result is the solution.
In Indian and wider South Asian English, students commonly “solve a question paper” or “solve the questions,” meaning work through them. That use is standard in those regions, though it can sound unusual to British or American readers, who would more often say “do” or “answer” the paper.
Often confused with
Resolve. Solve finds an answer to a problem; resolve settles a conflict or makes a firm decision (“she resolved to quit sugar”).
What Is Solve in Maths?
In mathematics, to solve means to find the value (or set of values) that makes a statement true. That is a narrower, more exact meaning than the everyday one, and it shows up in a few standard phrases.
Solve an equation. Take 2x + 3 = 11. We subtract 3 from both sides to get 2x = 8, then divide by 2 to get x = 4. Plug 4 back in and the equation holds, so x = 4 is the solution.
Solve for x. This phrase means “rearrange things so x is on its own.” In a formula like A = lw (area equals length times width), solving for w gives w = A ÷ l.
Solve a system of equations. When two or more equations share unknowns, you look for values that satisfy all of them at once.
Solve a triangle. In trigonometry, this means finding every missing side and angle from the ones you’re given.
Solve an inequality. The answer is a range rather than a single number, such as x > 5.
Mathematicians make a quiet distinction worth knowing. A problem or equation gets solved, while a theorem or conjecture gets proved. So people say Andrew Wiles proved Fermat’s Last Theorem, though newspapers happily said he “solved” a centuries-old puzzle. Both are understood. The first is the more precise usage.
Game theory uses “solved” in a related way. A solved game is one where the outcome under perfect play is known. Checkers became the famous example in 2007, when Jonathan Schaeffer’s team at the University of Alberta published results in the journal Science showing that perfect play from both sides ends in a draw.
Synonyms of Solve: 15 Words and When to Use Them
A thesaurus will hand you a long list, but synonyms are never perfect swaps. Each one below carries its own flavour, so we’ve noted the situation where it fits best.
| Synonym | Best for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| resolve | conflicts, formal problems | The two sides resolved their differences. |
| work out | maths, plans, everyday problems | I can’t work out what went wrong. |
| figure out | casual speech, especially American | We’ll figure out the directions on the way. |
| crack | codes, cases, tough puzzles | Analysts cracked the code in a week. |
| decipher | handwriting, codes, unclear messages | Can you decipher the doctor’s note? |
| decode | coded messages, signals | The app decodes the QR pattern instantly. |
| unravel | complicated mysteries | The documentary unravels a decades-old fraud. |
| untangle | messy situations | It took months to untangle the paperwork. |
| fix | broken things, practical problems | A plumber fixed the leak in ten minutes. |
| sort out | British English, everyday hassles | Let’s sort out the bills tonight. |
| settle | disputes, uncertain questions | One phone call settled the argument. |
| answer | questions, riddles | Nobody could answer the final question. |
| clear up | confusion, misunderstandings | A quick email cleared up the mix-up. |
| puzzle out | slow, careful reasoning | She puzzled out the instructions alone. |
| get to the bottom of | mysteries, root causes | We need to get to the bottom of these errors. |
So what is a better word for solve? It depends on the thing being solved. For a code, crack. For a disagreement, resolve or settle. For a broken appliance, fix. For a slow mental effort, work out or figure out. Choosing the specific verb almost always makes a sentence sharper than the general one.
Antonyms of Solve
There is no single neat opposite, because solve covers so much ground. The closest antonyms describe making a problem harder or murkier:
- complicate: Adding a third supplier only complicated the delays.
- confuse / muddle: The extra instructions muddled things further.
- worsen / compound: Ignoring the warning light compounded the problem.
- puzzle / baffle: The results baffled the research team.
Solve vs Resolve vs Fix vs Answer
These four overlap, which is why people mix them up. Here is how we’d draw the lines.
Solve implies a problem with an answer that you find through thinking or effort. It works best for puzzles, equations, crimes and practical difficulties.
Resolve is more formal and leans towards ending a situation, especially one involving people. Disputes, conflicts and complaints get resolved. It also has a separate meaning: to decide firmly (“He resolved to call his brother more often”).
Fix is practical and physical. Things that are broken get fixed. You can fix a problem too, but the word suggests repair rather than discovery.
Answer is the narrowest. It pairs with questions, riddles and letters. You answer a question; you solve a problem. “Answer a problem” is understood but sounds slightly unusual.
A quick test: if the thing could be “wrong” or “broken,” use fix. If people disagree about it, use resolve. If it hides an answer you have to discover, use solve.
Word History: Where Solve Comes From
Solve entered English in the 15th century (the OED’s earliest evidence dates from around 1440), borrowed from Latin solvere, meaning “to loosen, untie, release or dissolve.” Latin built that verb from se- (“apart”) and luere (“to release”). Linguists trace luere back to a Proto-Indo-European root, usually written *leu-, meaning “to loosen, divide or cut apart.” The same ancient root sits behind the English word loose and the German verb lösen, which, fittingly, is how German speakers say “solve” today.
The earliest English uses kept the physical Latin meaning. To solve something was to loosen it, untie it or melt it down. The sense we use today, finding the answer to a problem, is recorded from the 1530s according to etymological references. The image makes intuitive sense: a problem is a knot, and solving it means untying it.
That knot picture survived for centuries in alchemy. The Latin motto solve et coagula, “dissolve and coagulate,” summed up the alchemist’s method of breaking a substance down and then reforming it. You’ll still see the phrase in art, tattoos and occult symbolism.
The Solve Word Family
Because solvere was such a productive Latin verb, English has a whole cluster of relatives. Once you know the “loosen” root, their meanings click into place:
- solution: the answer to a problem, and also a liquid with something dissolved in it. Both senses come from “loosening.”
- dissolve: to loosen completely into a liquid, or to end a marriage, parliament or partnership.
- resolve: to loosen again, hence to settle, clarify or decide.
- absolve: to loosen away from guilt; to free someone from blame.
- soluble: able to dissolve. Older writers also used it to mean “solvable,” and insoluble problem is still common.
- solvent: a liquid that dissolves other substances, and also, in finance, a company able to pay its debts. Being solvent means you can “release” yourself from what you owe.
- solvable / unsolvable: able or unable to be solved.
If you’ve ever wondered why chemists and accountants share the word solvent, this is the reason. Both senses grow from the same Latin idea of setting something free.
Solve as a Noun: Puzzle and Cubing Slang
In standard dictionaries, solve is a verb. In puzzle communities, it has quietly become a noun as well, and that use is worth knowing if you spend time around crossword solvers, word-game players or speedcubers.
Speedcubers, the people who race to complete a Rubik’s Cube, talk about individual attempts as “solves.” A competitor might say “my average of five solves dropped below fifteen seconds” or “that was a lucky solve.” Crossword enthusiasts use it the same way: “a smooth solve,” “a frustrating Saturday solve,” “my solve time was under ten minutes.” Daily word games have spread the habit, with players sharing results and comparing solves on social media.
This is an informal, community register. It is completely natural among hobbyists and in casual writing about games, but we’d avoid it in formal essays or business documents, where “attempt,” “solution” or “completion” reads better.
That Thursday puzzle was my fastest solve all month.
Usage tip
The noun “solve” belongs to puzzle and game chat. In formal writing, say “solution” for the answer and “attempt” for a timed try.
Translations of Solve
Many languages use separate words for solving a maths problem and resolving a real-life difficulty, so it helps to know which one fits.
| Language | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | resolver / solucionar | resolver for problems and equations; solucionar leans practical |
| French | résoudre | covers problems, equations and mysteries |
| German | lösen | shares the ancient “loosen” root with solve; also means “to loosen” |
| Italian | risolvere | standard for problems and maths |
| Portuguese | resolver | used for both everyday and maths problems |
| Dutch | oplossen | literally “to loosen up”; also means “to dissolve” |
| Russian | решать / решить (reshat’ / reshit’) | imperfective and perfective pair; also “to decide” |
| Japanese | 解く (toku) / 解決する (kaiketsu suru) | toku for puzzles and equations; kaiketsu suru for real problems |
| Mandarin Chinese | 解决 (jiějué) / 解 (jiě) | jiějué for problems generally; jiě for equations and riddles |
| Korean | 풀다 (pulda) / 해결하다 (haegyeolhada) | pulda literally “untie,” for puzzles; haegyeolhada for issues |
| Hindi | हल करना (hal karna) | standard for problems and sums |
| Arabic | حلّ (ḥalla) | also means “to untie” or “to dissolve” |
Notice a pattern. Dutch oplossen, Korean pulda and Arabic ḥalla all carry the same “untie” or “loosen” image as Latin solvere. Languages with no shared history landed on the same metaphor: a problem is a knot.
SOLVE the Environmental Nonprofit
If you searched “solve” and expected cleanups instead of definitions, you were probably looking for SOLVE, an environmental nonprofit based in Oregon in the United States. It organises volunteer events that clean up beaches, rivers, parks and neighbourhoods, along with habitat restoration projects such as tree planting and removing invasive plants. The group grew out of an anti-litter effort in Oregon and is known locally for its large seasonal volunteer campaigns.
The organisation’s name is written in capital letters and has nothing to do with the dictionary meaning beyond the obvious wordplay about solving environmental problems. Star Dictionary isn’t connected to it. For event dates, volunteer sign-ups and project updates, the organisation’s own channels are the place to check.
Putting Solve to Work
Solve is a flexible, everyday verb, but it works best when the thing being solved has some kind of answer waiting to be found. A good habit is to ask what kind of difficulty you’re describing. Puzzles, crimes and equations take solve. Arguments take resolve or settle. Broken objects take fix. And when you first face a complicated situation, you usually need to learn its ins and outs before you can solve anything at all.
The word’s history gives you a memorable way to hold onto it. Every time you solve something, you’re loosening a knot, the same image Roman speakers had in mind more than two thousand years ago.
FAQ
What is the meaning of solve?
Solve means to find the answer to a problem, puzzle, question or mystery, or to find a successful way of dealing with a difficulty. In maths, it means finding the value that makes an equation true. It is a regular verb whose forms are solve, solves, solved and solving.
Which is correct: “solve” or “solved”?
Both are correct, in different places. Use solve for the present tense and after helpers like can, will and to (“We can solve it,” “I want to solve it”). Use solved for the past tense (“She solved it yesterday”) and after has, have, had or be (“It has been solved,” “The case is solved”). “The problem is solve” is incorrect; it should be “The problem is solved.”
What is a better word for solve?
It depends on what’s being solved. For codes and tough puzzles, try crack or decipher. For disputes, use resolve or settle. For broken things, use fix. For careful thinking, use work out or figure out. In British English, sort out suits everyday hassles. Picking the specific verb usually makes your sentence clearer than the general one.
What is solve in maths?
In maths, to solve means to find the value or values of an unknown that make an equation, inequality or system true. For example, to solve 2x + 3 = 11, you subtract 3 and divide by 2 to find x = 4. “Solve for x” means rearranging a formula so x stands alone on one side.
Is “solve” ever a noun?
In standard English, no. Informally, yes: crossword fans, word-game players and speedcubers use “a solve” to mean one attempt at a puzzle, as in “my fastest solve.” Keep that use for casual writing and hobby communities.
About this article
- Fact-checked by Maureen Talbot against the sources listed below before publication.
- Published
Sources (2)
- Solve et coagula (cutmeupmagazine.com)
- speedsolving.com