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

Waits unfurls a sad story over the course of the song, dropping details about an unnamed woman in red shoes who’s standing by the newsstand outside a pharmacy on a cold, rainy night. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026

Wild Land Instead of rising straight up from the truck bed like the Wingman/Safari Cruiser design, the Pickupmate Trunk has a multidirectional design that shifts slightly backward before unfurling dramatically forward over the truck cab. — New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026

Conversely, East of Eden unfurls its consideration of human nature and inheritance across multiple generations. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

On Friday, Sézane, a popular Parisian lifestyle and ready-to-wear brand, unfurled a new 2,800-square-foot boutique at 1045 Madison Avenue, joining the brand’s two New York permanent locations in NoLIta and the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 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