as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
activists for animal rights who would like to unchain zoo animals and return them to the wild
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Recent Examples of unchain
The nationwide standalone 5G that the carrier announced Wednesday essentially unchains that service from 4G LTE, allowing devices to connect to the network without first requiring a setup via AT&T’s older and slower network.
—
PC Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
When Henson refused to unchain herself from the fence, California Highway Patrol arrested her.
—
Kate Talerico,
The Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2024
Max eventually unchains himself and helps Furiosa in her quest to free the cult leader's wives, gaining mutual respect along the way.
—
Ew Staff,
EW.com,
3 July 2024
Van Gogh had unchained it from its age-old funereal associations and reinvented it as a tour de force of emotional connection and nurturance.
—
Deborah Solomon,
New York Times,
11 May 2023
The Shambala Center would unchain our brains Through mindfulness, yoga, and chanted refrains.
—
Nate Anderson,
Ars Technica,
1 Apr. 2023
On Wednesday, the rescuers carefully lifted the shed enough to reach Bubbles and unchain the dog.
—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE.com,
3 Sep. 2021
The feds give an official exemption to Nuro, a company working on small self-driving cars—a sign that regulators are willing to unchain autonomous vehicles from the old rules.
—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired,
9 Feb. 2020
Police say the three protesters had the ability to unchain themselves from the equipment but refused.
—
USA TODAY,
13 Sep. 2019
PC Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
When Henson refused to unchain herself from the fence, California Highway Patrol arrested her.
—
Kate Talerico,
The Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2024
Max eventually unchains himself and helps Furiosa in her quest to free the cult leader's wives, gaining mutual respect along the way.
—
Ew Staff,
EW.com,
3 July 2024
Van Gogh had unchained it from its age-old funereal associations and reinvented it as a tour de force of emotional connection and nurturance.
—
Deborah Solomon,
New York Times,
11 May 2023
The Shambala Center would unchain our brains Through mindfulness, yoga, and chanted refrains.
—
Nate Anderson,
Ars Technica,
1 Apr. 2023
On Wednesday, the rescuers carefully lifted the shed enough to reach Bubbles and unchain the dog.
—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE.com,
3 Sep. 2021
The feds give an official exemption to Nuro, a company working on small self-driving cars—a sign that regulators are willing to unchain autonomous vehicles from the old rules.
—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired,
9 Feb. 2020
Police say the three protesters had the ability to unchain themselves from the equipment but refused.
—
USA TODAY,
13 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unchain
Verb
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For every Founding Father looking to free the colonies from British tyranny, there was a Larry (often called Lawrence here) who suggests that sharing desserts and umbrellas should be prohibited by the Declaration of Independence.
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Such maneuvering could then potentially free the Heat from being hard-capped at the first tax apron (although still highly unlikely).
Verb
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Harvard’s research confirms that AI liberates managers from coordination and relay tasks, freeing them for judgment, contextual intelligence, and human connection that no system can replicate.
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He is liberated from the constraints of [Republican leaders like] a Paul Ryan or a Mitch McConnell.
Verb
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Cops released an image of him aboard the bus wearing a white hoodie and are asking the public’s help tracking him down.
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The letter does not include permission for Anthropic to release Fable, a less powerful version of Mythos.
Verb
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Two roofs collapsed at the Park Place Apartments in the town of Newburgh, trapping a woman who had to be rescued by emergency officials, Wilder said.
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Detectives from Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff's office rescued a girl under 14 from a grown man who had traveled from Georgia to meet her this weekend, authorities said Sunday.
Verb
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According to the Northwestern Mutual survey, nearly three-quarters of Gen Z already have saved more than one year of income toward retirement.
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Clark had a collection of par saves around the turn as Scottie Scheffler was making a move and poured it on with a fairway metal to get within four feet for eagle on the par-five 16th for an even-par 70 that gave him a six-shot lead.
Verb
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Add enough of the measured water to loosen the mixture and form a sauce; fluid but not runny is the key.
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The board also had to grant a request to loosen zoning rules, called a variance, to allow for six housing units — which is a few more than would normally be allowed on a lot of its size — and make the project possible.
Verb
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Finally, David ends the episode with a discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello and how ancient plays can emancipate readers from some of their modern prejudices.
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The long shadow of the occupation Twenty-three years after George Bush and Tony Blair resolved that Iraqis were to be emancipated, the country remains captive to a masquerade of power.
Cite this Entry
“Unchain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unchain. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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