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unfold

verb

ˌən-ˈfōld How to pronounce unfold (audio)
Definition of unfoldnext
1
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area carefully unfold that antique map so that it doesn't tear

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to evolve
to gradually become clearer or more detailed as the situation unfolded, it became clear that more help would be needed the movie became more interesting once the mystery began to unfold

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to bloom
to produce flowers the rosebud unfolded literally overnight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to appear
to come into view the majestic landscape unfolded before us

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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 unfold All the while, Daddy Walsh remains oblivious to the drama unfolding around him and is focused on landing a part in the local amateur dramatic musical. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026 Watching darkness settle over the Bosphorus as dinner unfolded made the experience all the more memorable, helped by attentive but discreet service. — Vicki Power, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026 But little of this sort occurred in the race, as a near-fully clean contest unfolded. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 The story unfolds in the New Jersey suburbs, where Audrey goes back to live with her parents. — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfold
  1. expand
  2. evolve
  3. bloom
  4. appear
  5. extend
  6. grow
  7. flower
  8. show
Verb
  • In the 1980s some politicians and activists expanded their definitions to include Asian and African groups.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Data center demand meets nuclear power The agreement comes as Google expands its Finnish infrastructure, including its data center in Hamina.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • The rapidly evolving technology has become a source of controversy after a series of hacks in recent months that showed AI agents can conspire to deceive humans.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Armed with this valuable data, a business can take a realistic look at its present situation and better position itself for future success—even as the tech climate continues to evolve at such a fast pace.
    — Michelle Mekky, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of evolve
Verb
  • Every scene is optimized in real time for infinite contrast, deep blacks, and lifelike highlight detail without blooming.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Although blueberries are self-fertile, planting multiple cultivars that bloom at the same time will lead to larger berries and a higher yield.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of bloom
Verb
  • Mercury's rough surface, continually reshaped by debris hurled from impact craters, may have hidden the true extent of the loss, according to the researchers whose findings appear in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
  • What was especially strange was that the initial rumors of the move appeared while the Avs were still in the playoffs.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of appear
Verb
  • Hossain, who teaches part-time at Smith College, including a course on love and devotion in Bollywood cinema, argues that the pressures her film dramatizes extend well beyond South Asia.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But, as Mosley explained to Fox News Digital, a law passed in North Carolina in 2025 extended the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits specifically for people who have undergone gender transitions.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of extend
Verb
  • The platform decides which content receives additional exposure, and that exposure can influence who discovers a creator and whether the creator’s audience grows.
    — Sergi Cerrato, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Out of that conversation grew my novel The Undead, which is, in some ways, a parting love letter to Moscow.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • The daffodils here were almost finished, apart from one little patch of stragglers still flowering on heroically against the odds.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, the Toronto couple handed the four women flower baskets, sent them down the aisle and gave them full permission to break a few wedding rules along the way.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of flower
Verb
  • The rapidly evolving technology has become a source of controversy after a series of hacks in recent months that showed AI agents can conspire to deceive humans.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Her Eras show doc lost its awards last weekend, and the Chiefs play the Broncos tonight, but that didn’t stop people from speculating.
    — Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of show

Browse Nearby Words

unfocused
unfold
unfolded
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Cite this Entry

“Unfold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfold. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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