unfolded; unfolding; unfolds
1
2
: to open to the view : reveal
especially
: to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital
3
: to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known
a panorama unfolds before their eyes
Synonyms
Examples of unfold in a Sentence
The couch unfolds to form a bed.
We'll have more news as events unfold.
We watched the drama unfold on live television.
As the story unfolds, we learn that the boy became an orphan when he was one year old.
Recent Examples on the Web
For infants, the soft fabric toy unfolds like a snake to provide tummy time support as your baby develops head and neck muscles.
—
Maya Polton, Parents, 6 Apr. 2024
The 100th episode of 9-1-1 shocked fans with an unexpected kiss — and a love story may just unfold as the story continues to unravel.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
But the game unfolded in a typically chaotic manner.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The violence unfolded April 1 as Annie Peoples, 80, and her family slept in a front room of their home, The Clarion-Ledger reported, citing police.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The College Basketball Crown will unfold over a week in Las Vegas next April, featuring two automatic qualifiers apiece from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn’t earn NCAA tournament bids, as well as 10 additional at-large teams selected by a committee.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Part Two, set in 2018, brings the family’s story into the present and unfolds the experiences of later generations of the Cheyenne tribe, some of whom are dealing with collective trauma, substance abuse, and the dissipation of the tribe.
—Joan Gaylord, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2024
As the investigation unfolds, doubts surface, turning Maureen from victim to suspect in a high-stakes, sensitive case.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
The state-level clashes over Medicaid, which is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, could have major implications for hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans, and the debate over the program’s future is unfolding with the 2024 presidential campaign as a backdrop.
—Noah Weiland, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Maya Polton, Parents, 6 Apr. 2024
The 100th episode of 9-1-1 shocked fans with an unexpected kiss — and a love story may just unfold as the story continues to unravel.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
But the game unfolded in a typically chaotic manner.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
The violence unfolded April 1 as Annie Peoples, 80, and her family slept in a front room of their home, The Clarion-Ledger reported, citing police.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The College Basketball Crown will unfold over a week in Las Vegas next April, featuring two automatic qualifiers apiece from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East that didn’t earn NCAA tournament bids, as well as 10 additional at-large teams selected by a committee.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Part Two, set in 2018, brings the family’s story into the present and unfolds the experiences of later generations of the Cheyenne tribe, some of whom are dealing with collective trauma, substance abuse, and the dissipation of the tribe.
—Joan Gaylord, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2024
As the investigation unfolds, doubts surface, turning Maureen from victim to suspect in a high-stakes, sensitive case.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
The state-level clashes over Medicaid, which is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, could have major implications for hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans, and the debate over the program’s future is unfolding with the 2024 presidential campaign as a backdrop.
—Noah Weiland, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of unfold was
before the 12th century
Dictionary Entries Near unfold
Cite this Entry
“Unfold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfold. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
unfold
verb
un·fold
ˌən-ˈfōld 
1
a
: to spread or cause to spread or straighten out from a folded position or arrangement
unfolded the map
b
: unwrap
3
: develop sense 1a
as the story unfolds
4
: to open out or cause to open out gradually to the view or understanding
new technology unfolds before us
More from Merriam-Webster on unfold
Nglish: Translation of unfold for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of unfold for Arabic Speakers
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