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
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Recent Examples of unfetter
His long run in office, however, delivered only partial victories on his two primary ambitions: to unfetter Japan’s military after decades of postwar pacifism and to jump-start and overhaul its economy through a program known as Abenomics.
—
New York Times, 8 July 2022
As spring ends, maple trees begin to unfetter winged seeds that flutter and swirl from branches to land gently on the ground.
—Nikk Ogasa, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2021
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
New York Times, 8 July 2022
As spring ends, maple trees begin to unfetter winged seeds that flutter and swirl from branches to land gently on the ground.
—Nikk Ogasa, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2021
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
Verb
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But after restructuring the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and offensive lineman Tyler Smith, the team was able to free up $67 million toward the cap in 2026 to get back under the salary cap.—
Nick Harris
March 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Doing so would free up $254 million — in a tight budget year — for a $2,500 teacher pay raise, extra school funding, expanded private school tax credits and more, Senate leaders said.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Liu tells it, the insight that liberated her didn’t have to do with skating at all.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
6 Mar. 2026
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Chicago visitors will also see items never before displayed publicly, including a letter Anne’s father, Otto Frank, wrote in 1945, after being liberated from Auschwitz.—
Eva Remijan-Toba,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lesli Boese told the judge Thursday that Casap was too dangerous to ever be released from prison.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The government released thousands more documents in the decades that followed before establishing AARO to investigate sightings and publish reports.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Within two minutes, Phoenix police arrived at the scene, taking the woman into custody and rescuing the child.—
Sydney Page The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
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Officials in Farmington Hills said their fire department rescued people who were trapped in their vehicles due to flooding.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Shingles may crack or loosen, ice can harm flashing, and gutters can sag under frozen debris.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
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There have been no similar moves to loosen data sovereignty rules elsewhere in the Gulf.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The actress would go on to struggle with addiction issues and in February 1991, emancipated herself at the age of 14.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
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All the black captives in liberated territories were emancipated, and Amador was proclaimed king.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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