unseal

verb

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

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 the courtroom, the judge ruled that almost all of the evidence in the case should be unsealed, to help Martinez clear her name. Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026 According to the criminal complaint unsealed on March 4, Valente and Toma collaborated to fraudulently obtain $2,609,210 from the Paycheck Protection Program. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026 In late October 2022, on the cusp of the faceoff between Hastings and Sheehan, court documents were unsealed in his divorce proceedings that portrayed the veteran legislator as being unable to control his anger in front of his children. Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026 At a press conference, Tisch said federal charges are expected to be unsealed soon against two men allegedly involved in the incident. Brian Mann, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026 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 14 Mar. 2026.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster