unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

unpacked; unpacking; unpacks

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove the contents of

unpack a suitcase

b

: unburden, reveal

… must … unpack my heart with words …

—William Shakespeare

2

: to remove or undo from packing or a container

unpacked his gear

3

: to analyze the nature of by examining in detail : explicate

unpack a concept

4

: decompress sense 2

unpack a compressed file

intransitive verb

: to engage in unpacking a container

unpacker noun

Synonyms of unpack

• unload

Examples of unpack in a Sentence

It's been a year since I moved here and I still haven't unpacked all of my books.

I unpacked my suitcase as soon as I arrived home.

By the time we got to the hotel, I was too tired to unpack.

She's good at unpacking complex concepts.

Recent Examples on the Web

But this collection unpacks ambition on a personal level. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026

Unfortunately, one of the few downsides of hotel hopping is having to repack and unpack your bags between stays, as well as the time lapse during the day between check-out and check-in. —Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026

At first crews will spend just two weeks aboard per rotation—barely time to unpack compared to the year or more some ISS astronauts are aloft. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 2 Jan. 2026

Consisting of eight 30-minute episodes, this season unpacks the pursuit of the American Dream by way of an exclusive Southern California country club and two couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds. —Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for unpack

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

ˈən-

1

: to separate and remove things packed

got home and unpacked

2

: to open and remove the contents of

unpack a trunk