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
That scintillating Jim Jarmusch movie, from 2019, a mashup of comedy, science fiction, horror, and apocalyptic rage amid brazen cruelty, is the kind of late masterwork that a longtime director occasionally unleashes if the stars line up.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Collect a few pinecones and set out some glue, small pompoms, glitter, or other decorative items and let the kids unleash their creativity.
—Elisa Cinelli, Parents, 22 Dec. 2025
On social media, users made both artists’ names trend and unleashed a flurry of messages and memes to celebrate the reunion.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 22 Dec. 2025
Forecasters say the system will push into Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire late Tuesday night and unleash heavy rain, and possibly lightning, on Wednesday.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unleash
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Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Collect a few pinecones and set out some glue, small pompoms, glitter, or other decorative items and let the kids unleash their creativity.
—Elisa Cinelli, Parents, 22 Dec. 2025
On social media, users made both artists’ names trend and unleashed a flurry of messages and memes to celebrate the reunion.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 22 Dec. 2025
Forecasters say the system will push into Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire late Tuesday night and unleash heavy rain, and possibly lightning, on Wednesday.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
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 Dec. 2025.
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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