unleash

verb

un·​leash ˌən-ˈlēsh How to pronounce unleash (audio)
unleashed; unleashing; unleashes

transitive verb

1
: to free from or as if from a leash : let loose
unleash the dogs
unleashing his anger
2
: to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully
unleashed a superb shot … to earn his side a pointThe New York Times

Examples of unleash in a Sentence

The storm unleashed its fury. The editorial unleashed a torrent of angry responses.
Recent Examples on the Web In an attempt to restore their empires, two opposing forces from the depths of outer space, One and Zero, unleash an apocalyptic conflict on Earth. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will unleash Wild God later this year, the alternative rock outfit’s 18th studio album. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2024 The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office rescued three people stranded in heavy snow this week after a weekend blizzard unleashed more than 10 feet of snow in the High Sierra amid billowing gusts topping 100 mph. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Elizabeth Carr entered the world as a 5-pound, 12-ounce earthquake, making medical history and unleashing furious controversy in 1981 as the first American conceived in a lab. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Ever since a door panel blew out on a Boeing 737 Max three miles over Portland, Ore., on Jan. 5, regulators have unleashed a rash of restrictions, audits, and mandates that have left the iconic manufacturer operating in a straitjacket. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Russian artillery unleash deadly volleys from safe positions beyond the range of Kyiv’s troops. Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Biden unleashed a crisis by reversing Trump policies on his first day in office. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 2 Mar. 2024 After giving them a rundown, Ryan and Perry unleashed thousands of peanuts from the machine to be sifted. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unleash.' 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

circa 1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unleash was circa 1671

Dictionary Entries Near unleash

Cite this Entry

“Unleash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unleash. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unleash

verb
un·​leash ˌən-ˈlēsh How to pronounce unleash (audio)
: to free from or as if from a leash
unleash a dog
the storm unleashed its fury

More from Merriam-Webster on unleash

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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