Synonyms of unfolding

unfolding

verb

present participle of unfold

1

as in expanding

to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area

carefully unfold that antique map so that it doesn't tear

Synonyms & Similar Words

• expanding
• opening
• extending
• unfurling
• spreading (out)
• stretching (out)
• flaring (out)
• fanning (out)
• outspreading
• outstretching
• overspreading

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• closing
• folding
• contracting
• reducing
• condensing
• compressing
• compacting

2

as in evolving

to gradually become clearer or more detailed

as the situation unfolded, it became clear that more help would be needed

the movie became more interesting once the mystery began to unfold

Synonyms & Similar Words

• evolving
• progressing
• growing
• developing
• proceeding
• elaborating
• emerging
• blossoming
• maturing
• ripening
• marching
• forging
• getting along
• advancing
• getting on
• faring
• playing out
• materializing

3

as in blooming

to produce flowers

the rosebud unfolded literally overnight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blooming
• flowering
• blossoming
• burgeoning
• blowing
• leaving
• efflorescing
• leafing
• budding
• opening

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fading
• dying
• withering
• drying up
• dropping
• expiring
• wilting
• shriveling
• perishing

4

as in appearing

to come into view

the majestic landscape unfolded before us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• appearing
• showing
• coming
• looming
• arriving
• rising
• happening
• materializing
• coming out
• emerging
• reappearing
• turning up
• showing up
• occurring
• erupting
• surfacing
• arising
• blossoming
• dawning
• resurfacing
• issuing
• bulking
• shooting (up)
• breaking out
• outcropping
• springing (up)
• breaking
• cropping (up)
• bobbing (up)
• debuting
• rematerializing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• going (away)
• vanishing
• disappearing
• dissolving
• evaporating
• fading
• melting (away)
• clearing
• leaving
• evanescing
• withdrawing
• departing
• retiring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unfolding

Rooted in feminism and unfolding against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, the works consider flesh and the human body with brutal honesty, viewing them as vessels for trauma, mortality, and political autonomy. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

The campaign is unfolding as the city contends with myriad urban ailments. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

In August 2023, a dramatic cable car emergency in Battagram in northern Pakistan captivated audiences around the world as footage of the unfolding rescue spread across TV and social media. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

However, a break below the mid-September lows on the S&P 500 near 7,500 would warn that something more than a routine pullback is unfolding. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

That suspect was then positively identified by both the teenager and a witness who saw the incident unfolding. — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Building direct consumer relationships Changes in product design are unfolding alongside a reconsideration of how independent labels sell their collections. — Yiling Pan, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

What is unfolding here, activists argue, is likely to recur wherever the industry builds next. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026

Gleb Savchenko is the latest DWTS-lebrity to weigh in on the controversy unfolding around pro Val Chmerkovskiy. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2026