unlock

verb

un·​lock ˌən-ˈläk How to pronounce unlock (audio)
unlocked; unlocking; unlocks
Synonyms of unlocknext

transitive verb

1
: to unfasten the lock of : open the lock on
Can you unlock the car for me?
2
: open, undo
unlock the padlock
3
: to free from restraints or restrictions
The shock unlocked a flood of tears.
4
: to furnish a key to : disclose
cracked the code to unlock the message

intransitive verb

: to become unfastened or freed from restraints

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 on the Web
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.
When the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2010, 340B program eligibility broadened, unlocking discounts for certain rural hospitals, children’s hospitals, some disease-specific treatment programs, and hospitals that serve a significant share of low-income patients. Dené K. Dryden, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026 The pursuing agent presses a button, unlocking the device attached to their vehicle’s front bumper, and a net springs out. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 Along with the launch of its chatbot for clinicians last month, OpenAI also published a wish list that the company described as a blueprint for unlocking AI’s potential to change the broader health care system. Brittany Trang, STAT, 6 May 2026 Sarah Coulter, Americas program director for Accelerating Circularity, said the key to unlocking this type of recycling at scale goes beyond the technology necessary to process textiles for reuse. Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for unlock

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unlock was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlock. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

unlock

verb
un·​lock ˌən-ˈläk How to pronounce unlock (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to open or unfasten through release of a lock
unlock the door
the chest won't unlock
2
: to set free : release
unlock a flood of emotions
3
: to make known
scientists unlocking the secrets of nature

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