unloaded; unloading; unloads
1
a(1)
: to take off : deliver
(2)
: to take the cargo from
unload the truck
b
: to give outlet to : pour forth
unloaded her bitter feelings
2
: to relieve of something burdensome, unwanted, or oppressive
unloaded the pack animals
unloaded himself to his friend
3
a
: to remove something from
unloading the dishwasher
b
: to draw the charge from
unloaded the gun
4
: to get rid of : dump
unloaded the stock when prices fell
Rumor has it the team manager wants to unload him.
5
: to hit or propel with a great release of power
unloaded his ninth homer
1
: to perform the act of unloading
2
: to release or deliver something especially with power
unloaded on the ball
3
: to give forth a usually sudden angry outburst
the coach unloaded on his players
unloader
noun
un·loader
"+
Examples of unload in a Sentence
Verb
It took four hours to unload the truck.
Could you help me unload the car?
After the ship docked, they unloaded its cargo.
I have to unload the groceries.
Most ships unload at another dock now.
The train made several stops to unload passengers.
Rumor has it that the manager wants to unload him. Maybe he'll be traded to another team.
She unloaded a huge amount of stock when prices fell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
The port attributed the declines to shippers wanting to unload cargo at a first or second port call to get ahead of any tariff deadlines.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
Emergency officials in Orange County, Texas, shut down roads in the area Sunday morning and warned residents to stay in their homes while crews worked to unload the trailer and salvage as many hives as possible.
—CBS News, 23 June 2026
On Tuesday, investors unloaded at least some of their holdings in these stocks.
—ABC News, 23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unload
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.
Verb
There is no scrapeable archive of how to grasp a wet cup, unload a box that sags in the middle, fold a towel, or help an older adult out of a chair.
—Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
The port attributed the declines to shippers wanting to unload cargo at a first or second port call to get ahead of any tariff deadlines.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
Emergency officials in Orange County, Texas, shut down roads in the area Sunday morning and warned residents to stay in their homes while crews worked to unload the trailer and salvage as many hives as possible.
—CBS News, 23 June 2026
On Tuesday, investors unloaded at least some of their holdings in these stocks.
—ABC News, 23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unload
Cite this Entry
“Unload.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unload. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unload
verb
un·load
ˌən-ˈlōd 
ˈən-
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
