unfold

verb

un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld 

unfolded; unfolding; unfolds

transitive verb

1

a

: to open the folds of : spread or straighten out : expand

unfolded the map

b

: to remove (something, such as a package) from the folds : unwrap

unfolding a parcel

2

: to open to the view : reveal

especially : to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital

unfolded his story to me

intransitive verb

1

a

: to open from a folded state : open out : expand

b

: blossom

2

: develop, evolve

as the story unfolds

3

: to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known

a panorama unfolds before their eyes

unfoldment

ˌən-ˈfōl(d)-mənt 

noun

Synonyms of unfold

• expand
• extend
• open
• unfurl

Examples of unfold in a Sentence

The couch unfolds to form a bed.

We'll have more news as events unfold.

We watched the drama unfold on live television.

As the story unfolds, we learn that the boy became an orphan when he was one year old.

Recent Examples on the Web

The training in Bolivia, unfolding while the world remains captivated by the final week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, covered everything from balance, coordination and movement on crutches to ball control, tactics and the rules of amputee soccer. — ABC News, 17 July 2026

Between philosophy and flesh, jealousy and freedom, spring unfolds as a restless search for love, nature, and the fragile ethics of attachment. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026

While the film dramatizes their journey, the events behind it unfolded over nearly a decade and became one of the most significant legal battles involving civilian search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean. — Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 17 July 2026

If Tuchel seriously has no regrets about how the semi-final unfolded, and there is a risk of a similar mistake again, that does not bode well. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for unfold

• ahold
• behold
• billfold
• blindfold
• cajoled
• consoled
• controlled
• cotswold
• eightfold
• enfold
• enrolled
• extolled

Kids Definition

unfold

verb

un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld 

1

a

: to spread or cause to spread or straighten out from a folded position or arrangement

unfolded the map

b

: unwrap

2

: bloom entry 2 sense 1

3

: develop sense 1a

as the story unfolds

4

: to open out or cause to open out gradually to the view or understanding

new technology unfolds before us