unhinge

verb

un·​hinge ˌən-ˈhinj How to pronounce unhinge (audio)
unhinged; unhinging; unhinges

transitive verb

1
: to make unstable : unsettle, disrupt
unhinge the balance of world peace
pressure that would unhinge a less experienced person
2
: to remove from the hinges
unhinge a door

Examples of unhinge in a Sentence

the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war I was momentarily unhinged by the unexpected question.
Recent Examples on the Web Their performances could not be farther apart — Gladstone is all quiet dignity and power, doing a lot with a little, while Stone is unhinged id, a prime example of the too-much-is-never-enough school of acting. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Despite being nested within the same branch of the tree of life, legless, lengthy, and slithering snakes–capable of unhinging their jaws and delivering a venomous bite–stand out from their reptilian clade-mates. Popular Science, 22 Feb. 2024 Allen, though, was unhinged by the pressure that forced him to slide in the pocket. USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024 The owner may not actually know this yet, but — two years, friendly place, regular customers, unhinged declarations of love? Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Then Bo has the nerve to accept Franz’s apology...and Toni unhinges her jaw and devours everyone. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023 The toughness of the leather was balanced by the soft draping—a key styling trick to keep in mind when channeling the exotic—often times unhinged—glamour of the mob wife aesthetic. Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 26 Jan. 2024 And the whole of Israeli society has been unhinged by the experience. Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023 And Viola Davis is gleefully unhinged as head gamemaker Volumnia Gaul, a cackling mad scientist who precisely pronounces every syllable in la-bor-a-tory and sports a white dress that looks like it was dipped in a pool of blood. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unhinge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhinge was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near unhinge

Cite this Entry

“Unhinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhinge. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unhinge

verb
un·​hinge ˌən-ˈhinj How to pronounce unhinge (audio)
1
: unsettle sense 2, disrupt
a mind unhinged by grief
2
: to remove (as a door) from the hinges

More from Merriam-Webster on unhinge

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