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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His speech was unhinged, often not founded in fact, and rambled badly. Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025 Again, to the unhinged, that’s a license to lash out. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Sep. 2025 And among the three alternating points of view is one possibly unhinged bookseller. Susan Coll september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025 Burmese pythons, which can engulf an entire Presidential golfing party simply by unhinging their (the pythons’) jaws, inhabit the environs of the Gulf of Mexico, and have even been seen swimming offshore. Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unhinge

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhinge was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

“Unhinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhinge. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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