unleashed; unleashing; unleashes
1
: to free from or as if from a leash : let loose
unleash the dogs
unleashing his anger
2
: to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully
… unleashed a superb shot … to earn his side a point.—
The New York Times
The New York Times3
: to allow or cause (something powerful) to happen suddenly
The storm unleashed its fury.
The editorial unleashed a flood/torrent of angry responses.
Examples of unleash in a Sentence
The storm unleashed its fury.
The editorial unleashed a torrent of angry responses.
Recent Examples on the Web
South Africa’s anti-trust regulator is holding private talks with the telecoms industry about relaxing competition rules, signaling that regulators in Africa’s biggest economy may be willing to make changes that could unleash a wave of mergers and acquisitions in the sector.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
The getaway spirals into terror when Katie (Charli xcx) becomes possessed by a violent, tortured spirit (Mizuhara), unleashing a nightmare steeped in Japanese horror tradition.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran retaliated Wednesday by unleashing missile strikes against Israel, where two people were killed near Tel Aviv.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the crises have unleashed a surge in emigration, particularly of young people and skilled workers, to the United States, Mexico and Europe.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unleash
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Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
The getaway spirals into terror when Katie (Charli xcx) becomes possessed by a violent, tortured spirit (Mizuhara), unleashing a nightmare steeped in Japanese horror tradition.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran retaliated Wednesday by unleashing missile strikes against Israel, where two people were killed near Tel Aviv.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, the crises have unleashed a surge in emigration, particularly of young people and skilled workers, to the United States, Mexico and Europe.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unleash
Cite this Entry
“Unleash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unleash. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unleash
verb
un·leash
ˌən-ˈlēsh 
: to free from or as if from a leash
unleash a dog
the storm unleashed its fury
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