unfurl

verb

un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l 

unfurled; unfurling; unfurls

transitive verb

: to release from a furled state

unfurled the sails

intransitive verb

: to open out from or as if from a furled state : unfold

The flowers are starting to unfurl.

Synonyms of unfurl

• expand
• extend
• unfold
• open

Examples of unfurl in a Sentence

after the protestors had unfurled their banner, it stretched from one side of the visitors' gallery to the other

Recent Examples on the Web

In this lucent sky, long white clouds unfurl like rolls of canvas. —Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026

Cycling the Golden Gate Bridge is a rite of passage—where panoramic bay views unfurl beneath soaring red arches. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

But my first pregnancy unfurled more like a horror movie. —Leah Donnella, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Jan. 2026

Amid the World Economic Forum’s confab in Davos, Switzerland—where coalition building and global cooperation are usually central themes—Trump unfurled a Western Hemisphere First school of thought that has roots in a Cold War understanding of geopolitical stasis. —Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for unfurl

• cowgirl
• schoolgirl
• burl
• churl
• earl
• girl
• hurl
• merl
• merle
• perle
• swirl
• twirl

Kids Definition

unfurl

verb

un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l 

: to loose from a furled state : open or spread : unfold

unfurl sails

unfurl a flag