unleash

verb

ˌən-ˈlēsh How to pronounce unleash (audio)
Definition of unleashnext
1
as in to loosen
to set free (from a state of being held in check) unleashed all of his unspoken love for her in a long letter that he hoped he would have the courage to mail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to release
to find emotional release for lifting weights is a way for me to unleash all the frustrations of the workday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unleash The damage that nefarious non-state and state actors, or even rogue AI agents themselves, could unleash could do irreversible damage to nearly any part of our economy and society. — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 One of them, journalist Tomas, goes public with the information, unleashing powerful enemies. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 In these moments, the actor bursts through his roles as the Spider does through Reilly, unleashing the Grand Guignol excess that is Nicolas Cage. — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Some have to do with the dangers of unleashing nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unleash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unleash
  1. loosen
  2. release
  3. unlock
  4. express
Verb
  • However, restrictions have begun to loosen over the last decade, and some players have been allowed to compete abroad or join lucrative leagues.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • However, the task force urged county leaders to more aggressively lobby state politicians to loosen those spending restrictions, allowing money to be used on other local needs like transportation and housing.
    — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of loosen
Verb
  • Mogwai, who would make their debut the year after Beat was released and with whom Bowery Electric would share a bill, would crouch in similarly unassuming and tense postures and use them to spring out and scare the bejeezus out of people.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Never Enough, released in June 2025, is Turnstile’s fourth album and the follow-up to their 2021 breakthrough Glow On.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of release
Verb
  • Remember the thought that new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel would unlock all the potential of Herbert?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • One is reminded of Toni Morrison, whose refusal to pander to the dominant gaze — whose insistence on writing about Black characters without regard for whoever else might be reading — unlocked its own kind of universality.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unlock
Verb
  • With artificial intelligence permeating nearly every aspect of life, therapists are seeing more people expressing anxiety about the technology.
    — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In this Year 1 of a rebuild, Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley continues to express a combination of disappointment and encouragement in his postgame press conferences.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of express

Browse Nearby Words

unlearns
unleash
unleashed
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Cite this Entry

“Unleash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unleash. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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