Definition of unfold
transitive verb
1a : to open the folds of : spread or straighten out : expand unfolded the mapb : to remove (something, such as a package) from the folds : unwrap
2 : to open to the view : reveal; especially : to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital
intransitive verb
1a : to open from a folded state : open out : expandb : blossom
3 : to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known a panorama unfolds before their eyes
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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 of unfold from the Web
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By midnight, the two were huddled in their Airbnb apartment with another traveler, watching the news unfold on television.
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Then its 158-foot solar array – equal to the wingspan of a Boeing 767 – will be unfolded to power the satellite’s electric propulsion system to finish the climb.
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The changes in the bill would unfold over two years.
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As this unfolds, Daniel, a 60-ish widower with no children, meets a young single mother named Katie (Hayley Squires), befriending her and her two kids.
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There’s a foundational melancholy to King’s performance that attaches itself to Ruzumna as the play unfolds.
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The age-of-terror Wag the Dog machinations that then unfolded had an especially gothic edge.
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Democrats see a candidate within reach of a win that would be a powerful sign of Republican vulnerability as the Trump presidency unfolds.
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Of all the weird sideshows in American politics, the one unfolding in a Florida courtroom may be one of the strangest.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unfold'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before 12th Century
First Known Use of unfold
before 12th century
UNFOLD Defined for English Language Learners
unfold
playDefinition of unfold for English Language Learners
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: to spread or cause (something) to spread or straighten out from a folded position
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: to happen as time passes
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: to be told or made known
UNFOLD Defined for Kids
unfold
playDefinition of unfold for Students
unfolded
;unfolding
1 : to open the folds of : open up Carefully unfold the map.
2 : to lay open to view or understanding : reveal … Roscuro went on unfolding, step by step, his diabolical plan … — Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux
3 : to develop gradually We learn the secret as the story unfolds.
Learn More about unfold
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See words that rhyme with unfold Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unfold Spanish Central: Translation of unfold Nglish: Translation of unfold for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of unfold for Arabic speakers
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