unfetter

verb

ˌən-ˈfe-tər How to pronounce unfetter (audio)
Definition of unfetternext
as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement) authorities eventually unfettered the menagerie of wild animals that had been kept illegally as pets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unfetter The Safdies are pointedly effective in capturing the way in which a chaotic city’s overall rhythm goes on unfettered even as a character experiences a horrific disruption or glitch in one small part of it. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2019 By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019 Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived. — Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfetter
  1. free
  2. liberate
  3. release
  4. rescue
  5. loosen
  6. emancipate
Verb
  • But also freeing myself from conventions in a day and age of algorithms.
    — William Earl, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • The prosecutor said the high temperatures were over 100 degrees that day as Stout revved his car engine trying to free the Yaris from the berm among very dry grass and vegetation.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of free
Verb
  • In summary, liberate your mind from having to be right to embrace finding out what’s true.
    — Rey Ramsey, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • He was born in western Ukraine and attended a military school in Kharkiv – the city liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2022 after a brutal Russian occupation early in the war.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of liberate
Verb
  • The footage, from the 1974 election trail, was kept under wraps for almost three decades before it was released to significant acclaim.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • The company has already laid significant groundwork, launching pre-orders on June 25, revealing cover art, and releasing 60 new screenshots.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of release
Verb
  • But unlike the scramble to rescue coral babies a few years back, these corals were still perfectly healthy.
    — Alex Harris July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • Keegan not only rescued Newcastle from relegation in 1991-92; the following campaign his team romped to the second-division title and surged into the Premier League.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of rescue
Verb
  • Briceno recommends anchoring your elbow, loosening your grip, and allowing the brush to do the work.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • Situational hitting, bunting, sacrifice flies and moving runners over helped loosen the lineup, allowing the power hitters to do their thing without feeling the need to produce in every at-bat.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of loosen
Verb
  • In 1775, his first enslaver sold him to the commander of Framingham's Minute Men, who emancipated him, and Salem went on to fight at Lexington and Concord.
    — Catherine Messier, The Providence Journal, 4 July 2026
  • Finally, David ends the episode with a discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello and how ancient plays can emancipate readers from some of their modern prejudices.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Definition of emancipate

Browse Nearby Words

unfertile
unfetter
unfettered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of parochial

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All