unleash

verb

un·​leash ˌən-ˈlēsh 

unleashed; unleashing; unleashes

transitive verb

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

3

: to allow or cause (something powerful) to happen suddenly

The storm unleashed its fury.

The editorial unleashed a flood/torrent of angry responses.

Synonyms of unleash

• loosen
• release
• unlock

Examples of unleash in a Sentence

The storm unleashed its fury.

The editorial unleashed a torrent of angry responses.

Recent Examples on the Web

The storm over the horizon has fully formed and now is about to be unleashed. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 6 Nov. 2026

The guests of honor were not tech bros unleashing artificial intelligence agents. — Lauren Segal, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026

During the only debate of the general election, Becerra criticized Hilton for proposing to unleash new oil drilling in the state. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Following the assassination of a German diplomat in Paris, Nazi propaganda exploits the incident to unleash a wave of violence against the Jewish population. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unleash

• pastiche
• leash
• quiche

Kids Definition

unleash

verb

un·​leash ˌən-ˈlēsh 

: to free from or as if from a leash

unleash a dog

the storm unleashed its fury