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.
Robert Bibbs, 24, of Chicago, advised Mack and Schaefer about how to kill Mack’s mother, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Chicago. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026 According to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan , founder and CEO Daniel Chu and COO David Goodgame allegedly carried out fraudulent schemes from at least 2018 through September 2025. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026 An indictment could be unsealed if the person is later charged as an adult. Cristian Benavides, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026 No new charges were in the superseding indictment unsealed on Friday, as prosecutors charged a third individual with serving as a middleman between bettors and Clase. ABC News, 18 Feb. 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 1 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