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.
Stores increasingly use it to track customers suspected of shoplifting, entertainment venues deploy it during big events, and many cellphones give users the option to unlock their devices with an instantaneous face scan. Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026 All pieces come with a QR code unlocking traceability and recycling information. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026 For the first time, Wrangler is unlocking its vault to bring together some of the rarest pieces of its history under one roof for a limited time. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026 These services encrypt your data on your device before it is uploaded, which means the provider cannot read it or unlock it later. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlock. Accessed 10 Feb. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on unlock

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