unsheathe

verb

un·​sheathe ˌən-ˈshēt͟h How to pronounce unsheathe (audio)
unsheathed; unsheathing; unsheathes

transitive verb

: to draw from or as if from a sheath or scabbard
unsheathed his sword

Examples of unsheathe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Settling in beside him, the director will unsheathe the cap on her fingerless gloves. Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 June 2023 That argument stands as a cringey brand embarrassment for Fox News — and any litigation that forces the network to again unsheathe this defense performs a public service. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2023 The fan-favorite worrywart's Funko figure is gearing up to unsheathe his sword and unleash the power of his Thunder Breathing First Form. Sarah Toscano, EW.com, 14 June 2021 Don't do this two nights before a wedding and expect to unsheathe your toes for the entire dance floor to see. Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 27 Mar. 2021 Caudill allegedly went back inside and came out with a Katana — a Japanese samurai sword — unsheathed it and threatened to cut off his father’s head. Dmitriy Shapiro, Detroit Free Press, 17 Dec. 2019 Then the ranch hands accompanying my mother and me on our journey unsheathe their wide bolo knives. Alfred Miller, The Courier-Journal, 2 Dec. 2019 Gould found some melting pianissimos, and Goerke unsheathed a saber of sound that shone the way toward her interpretation of the whole role. Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2019 Yet this autumn, in the third year of the Presidency of Donald J. Trump, House Democrats have unsheathed that terrible, mighty sword. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unsheathe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsheathe was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unsheathe

Cite this Entry

“Unsheathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsheathe. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

unsheathe

verb
un·​sheathe ˌən-ˈshēt͟h How to pronounce unsheathe (audio)
ˈən-
: to draw from or as if from a sheath
unsheathe a sword
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