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

At the supply intake area, Yeh saw a new volunteer awkwardly unpacking a package of beans layered two cans deep, wrapped in plastic. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

This latest work reflects a broader effort in the field of precision medicine to unpack all the ways molecules — in blood vessels, muscles, the liver and other organs — respond to exercise, including different intensities. — Will Stone, NPR, 24 Aug. 2026

There are signs Miller is still proverbially unpacking it all. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026

But for the film’s main characters Marija (Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė) and Vytas (Marius Repšys), the conflict also serves, in part, as a distraction — a way to avoid unpacking their pain over their messy separation. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for unpack

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

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