unlock

verb un·lock \ ˌən-ˈläk \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of unlock

transitive verb

1 : to unfasten the lock of

2 : open, undo

3 : to free from restraints or restrictions

the shock unlocked a flood of tears

4 : to furnish a key to : disclose

intransitive verb

: to become unfastened or freed from restraints

See unlock defined for English-language learners

See unlock defined for kids

Examples of unlock in a Sentence

Could you unlock the door for me?
geneticists unlocking the secrets of DNA
The material's potential was unlocked only through extensive testing.
How can I unlock my computer if I've forgotten the password?
This class will unlock your creativity.

Recent Examples of unlock from the Web

Many artists and entrepreneurs have touted the virtues of dropping acid to unlock the creative process: Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, the Beatles, and the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

— howard cohen, miamiherald, "A babysitter on LSD tried to take the toys — and that wasn't the worst of it, cops say | Miami Herald," 11 Apr. 2018
Sorenson allegedly walked into the foyer of the building and asked a 50-year-old female employee in the lobby to unlock the front door.

— jeff rumage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Complaint: Man exposed himself at assisted living center in Glendale," 11 Apr. 2018
In January, a hospital owned by Hancock Health in Greenfield, Ind., paid a $50,000 ransom in bitcoins to unlock its computers after a ransomware attack, reported The Indianapolis Star.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "This ransomware doesn’t want your cash. It just wants you to play a game | The Sacramento Bee," 10 Apr. 2018
The Cambridge Analytica scandal seems to have unlocked even larger worries about the influence of social media, the power of Silicon Valley and the cavalier approach many tech companies have taken toward user privacy.

— kevin roose, cecilia kang and sheera frenkel, New York Times, "Zuckerberg Gets a Crash Course in Charm. Will Congress Care?," 8 Apr. 2018
Also, being the kitchen, cooking with healthy ingredients and hearing professional chefs and registered dietitians speak about food and nutrition seems to unlock many food myths and misconceptions for medical students themselves.

— naseem s. miller, OrlandoSentinel.com, "UCF medical school starts culinary medicine course," 5 Apr. 2018
City officials told Reuters that police files and financial documents were rendered inaccessible by unknown hackers who demanded $51,000 worth of bitcoin to provide digital keys to unlock scrambled files.

— laila kearney, The Christian Science Monitor, "Atlanta strategizes on how to recover from cyberattack," 2 Apr. 2018
Apple has made headlines for its stance on privacy before, particularly during the 2016 San Bernardino shooting in which the company refused to honor the FBI’s request to unlock the shooter’s phone by creating a back door into the iPhone.

— alix langone, Time, "‘That Sounds Ridiculous to Me.’ Mark Zuckerberg Responds After Tim Cook Takes a Jab at Facebook," 2 Apr. 2018
Jump in today! Log in below to unlock a boatload of summer treats!

— azcentral, "Celebrate Summer with Insider!," 30 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unlock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.