unseal

verb

un·​seal ˌən-ˈsēl How to pronounce unseal (audio)
unsealed; unsealing; unseals

transitive verb

: to break or remove the seal of : open

Examples of unseal in a Sentence

The court unsealed the documents in the Douglas trial today.
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.
In a major roadblock to the Trump Administration’s efforts to quell the uproar over the Jeffrey Epstein files, a federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury materials in its prosecution against the disgraced financier. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, Trump administration officials have pressed courts to unseal grand jury records tied to Epstein’s 2007 plea deal in Florida and Maxwell’s federal case. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2025 Judge Paul Engelmayer, in his ruling, scoffed at the Justice Department’s rationale for wanting the transcripts unsealed. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025 Maxwell, who is appealing her conviction, opposed unsealing the documents. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unseal

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unseal was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unseal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unseal. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

unseal

verb
un·​seal ˌən-ˈsē(ə)l How to pronounce unseal (audio)
ˈən-
: to break or remove the seal of

More from Merriam-Webster on unseal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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