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
In Southern California, strong El Niños increase the likelihood of wet winters that replenish water supplies and tamp down wildfire risk but can also unleash flooding, debris flows and coastal erosion.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Reeves — actually the nicest man in show business — is a recessive passenger whose metatextual casting offers a convenient smokescreen for Hill to unleash his id, and Ira quickly asserts himself as the movie’s dominant force.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
There might be bitterness in similar fights in F1’s deeper past, but unleashing this in 2026 would risk destabilizing the deep bonds Wolff clearly wants to protect.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
In college baseball, Texas is again one of the top destinations in America, and Schlossnagle is unleashing the full power of Bevo’s possibilities.
—Mac Engel
april 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unleash
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Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Reeves — actually the nicest man in show business — is a recessive passenger whose metatextual casting offers a convenient smokescreen for Hill to unleash his id, and Ira quickly asserts himself as the movie’s dominant force.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
There might be bitterness in similar fights in F1’s deeper past, but unleashing this in 2026 would risk destabilizing the deep bonds Wolff clearly wants to protect.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
In college baseball, Texas is again one of the top destinations in America, and Schlossnagle is unleashing the full power of Bevo’s possibilities.
—Mac Engel
april 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 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 15 Apr. 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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