unblock

verb

un·​block ˌən-ˈbläk How to pronounce unblock (audio)
unblocked; unblocking; unblocks

transitive verb

: to free from being blocked

Examples of unblock in a Sentence

A procedure was done to unblock his arteries. unblock the road so that the convoy can proceed
Recent Examples on the Web In an interview with Bloomberg News this week, Orban’s top political adviser suggested that Hungary is, in fact, negotiating — and that unblocking more money could move Hungary to change its tune on Ukraine. Emily Rauhala, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2023 But so far, Washington is stumbling at one of the first hurdles — persuading Israel to unblock salaries needed to prevent the authority from collapsing altogether. Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2023 After the Russian peacekeepers failed to unblock it, Azerbaijan and its main ally, Turkey, rightly judged Russia to be an emperor with no clothes. Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2023 But later that night, workers with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad unblocked the pipe, which left some Allensworth residents fuming as water flowed closer. Evan Bush, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2023 The wartime agreement that unblocked grain shipments from Ukraine and helped temper rising global food prices was last extended by four months in November. Karl Ritter, ajc, 12 Mar. 2023 In May, New York City schools issued a public mea culpa, saying the district had acted too hastily and would unblock ChatGPT. Natasha Singer, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2023 The administration has maintained that Iran will only be permitted to use the funds unblocked by the U.S. for medicine, food or other humanitarian purchases. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2023 Days later, his move to unblock Sweden’s entry to NATO was a major strategic blow to Moscow, which has made deterring NATO from accepting new members a centerpiece of its security policy since the 1990s. David L. Stern, Washington Post, 13 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unblock.' 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 1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unblock was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near unblock

Cite this Entry

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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