unfetter

verb

ˌən-ˈfe-tər How to pronounce unfetter (audio)
Definition of unfetternext
as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement) authorities eventually unfettered the menagerie of wild animals that had been kept illegally as pets

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unfetter The Safdies are pointedly effective in capturing the way in which a chaotic city’s overall rhythm goes on unfettered even as a character experiences a horrific disruption or glitch in one small part of it. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2019 By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019 Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived. — Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfetter
  1. free
  2. liberate
  3. release
  4. rescue
  5. loosen
  6. emancipate
Verb
  • Paying down high-interest debt frees up more room in the budget.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • On top of that, the number of French army soldiers that normally patrol Paris as part of the country’s counter-terrorism measures will be increased to free the police from stationary guard duties.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of free
Verb
  • Technology can liberate your scrappy plants from overcrowded window boxes, and put a micro-farm in your kitchen.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • This action would have triggered a kilonova while also liberating a lot of material, stuff that would take its time falling onto the black hole and fueling longer jets.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of liberate
Verb
  • The latest figures, released in April and based mostly on 2024 data, actually reflect a slowdown from earlier jumps.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • On October 24, 2006, Taylor Swift was released—the debut album by a 16-year-old with blonde curls, cowboy boots, and a special talent for turning heartbreak into hits.
    — Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of release
Verb
  • When a human rights group tipped off authorities to the cult in 2023, some of the members were rescued.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Coast Guard rescued 49 passengers, but called off its search after three days with 10 people still missing.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rescue
Verb
  • Their grip on song structure has loosened with each record and, by their most recent, 2024’s Exotic Birds of Prey, nearly dissipated altogether.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • His efforts to loosen dependence on America have earned his government sky-high approval ratings even as many Western governments face populations deeply unhappy with their rule.
    — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of loosen
Verb
  • At home, the United States had defeated their armies, destroyed their infrastructure, retaken their territory, emancipated their enslaved, and devastated their economy and society into a catastrophic mess.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Drew was legally emancipated from her mother at 14 and began living independently.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of emancipate

Browse Nearby Words

unfertile
unfetter
unfettered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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