unclench

verb

Definition of unclenchnext
as in to unfurl

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unclench The tempo remains steady, but takes on a softer, more contemplative posture, as if urging you to unclench your jaw. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026 Your stiff limbs begin to unclench, as if death is slowly losing its hold on you. — Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025 If that doesn’t work, unclench your eyes, re-close them in the regular way, and then go back to sleep at a normal speed. — Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 For those who are vaccinated, relatively healthy, financially stable and with access to decent health care, there’s reason to unclench your jaw. — Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2022 Without such attention to Indian-Pakistani relations, India's democracy will not prosper and Pakistan's generals will never unclench their fists. — Christophe Jaffrelot, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclench
  1. unfurl
  2. unbutton
  3. unzip
  4. unfasten
  5. unfold
  6. unlatch
Verb
  • Four singles and two runs followed, unfurling the Chicago native’s outing.
    — Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 19 July 2026
  • At some point on Friday, the tapestry was due to be unfurled on a very long table with the help of 100 members of staff.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of unfurl
Verb
  • It can be worn buttoned or unbuttoned with a tank top underneath and slacks at the office, unbuttoned over a maxi dress to cookouts, or as a swimsuit cover-up poolside.
    — Clint Davis, People.com, 24 June 2025
  • It can be worn buttoned or unbuttoned over a summer tank top, and the slim collar and rolled sleeves add a pop of texture to its simple design.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
Definition of unbutton
Verb
  • Under pressure, the module could unzip and fail completely.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 June 2026
  • The robot could adapt the size of its legs either by zipping for height or unzipping for lowering down, which could be beneficial for the robot to manage exploring uneven surfaces such as forest areas or canyons.
    — Shirl Leigh May 22, New Atlas, 22 May 2026
Definition of unzip
Verb
  • Transforming the cabin from sitting to sleeping is a group effort that includes unpacking the ladder (usually stowed beneath the seats with the luggage), unfastening the upper bunks, and making the beds.
    — Emily Manthei, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
  • After the pink fabric is unfastened from styrofoam beams floating 200 feet out from each island, the sections are towed to shore and rolled up in bundles, Morgan said.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of unfasten
Verb
  • In a scene that unfolds in slow motion, a canister of tear gas is tossed into the couple’s home, tearing through their veil of domestic bliss.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Beyond ornate 19th-century wrought-iron gates, walled gardens unfold as a series of outdoor rooms, with a formal knot garden by landscape architect Arabella Lennox-Boyd and borders by Mary Keen.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 July 2026
Definition of unfold
Verb
  • Throughout the day, anyone can unlatch the box, pick up a trinket and hopefully leave one behind to share.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 4 May 2026
  • Raven is ever attentive to the imaging of the West as a kind of battleground, where surveillance (and the camera’s inexorable links to the military apparatus) tussles with sentimentality in a centuries-long project from which the national psyche cannot seem to unlatch.
    — Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Definition of unlatch

Browse Nearby Words

uncleared
unclench
unclenched
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Cite this Entry

“Unclench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclench. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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