unfold

1 of 2

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

unfoldment

2 of 2

noun

un·​fold·​ment -l(d)mənt 

plural -s

1

: the act or process of unfolding : development, evolution

during the story's unfoldment the character grows

—Saturday Evening Post

help those who are seeking spiritual unfoldment

—American Mercury

2

: full manifestation or realization

the journey of the soul to its final unfoldment

—M. L. Bach

Synonyms of unfold

Verb

• expand
• extend
• open
• unfurl

Examples of unfold in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

But all in all, at about the same number of minutes as Nolan’s film, the linearly unfolding TV version fits in a stunning amount from Homer’s 24-book epic. — Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 24 July 2026

Plot The story unfolds over a few weeks in the summer of 1947 in Mano Majra, a fictional village near the Sutlej River lying along what will become the boundary between the two emerging countries. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026

Three phases The plan unfolds in three phases, though the report only develops the first one, focusing on stabilization and emergency measures. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

Looking ahead, most experts expect conditions to stay stable, with moderate shifts possible as the year unfolds. — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 24 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

unfold + -ment

First Known Use

Verb

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