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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
3
as in flowering
to produce flowers
the rosebud unfolded literally overnight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in appearing
to come into view
the majestic landscape unfolded before us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unfolding
Our accounting of arrests in Portland, Oregon, and Chicago is particularly limited, since the events there are still unfolding.
—
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
This is already unfolding in the AI wave.
—Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
During film study, detailed coaches and players don’t watch a motion just for the result, but also for all of the small shifts and reactions on either side as that motion is unfolding.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Operating every Friday at noon, the Rolling Bridge becomes an enthralling sight, drawing large crowds to witness its unfolding process over the Grand Union Canal.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
The incident reflects a broader trend of neighborhood tension and disputes unfolding in different ways.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
In dictatorships, such as the one now unfolding at digital speed in many countries around the world, thousands or millions lose their lives or disappear.
—Alejandro González Iñárritu, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
Analysts are skeptical over whether the Gaza peace agreement — which calls for a full disarmament of Hamas, among other vexxing issues — will be fully implemented, even as its initial phase looked to be unfolding as hoped.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
There are no helping hands when the entire movie may or may not be unfolding inside someone’s head.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
This is already unfolding in the AI wave.
—Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
During film study, detailed coaches and players don’t watch a motion just for the result, but also for all of the small shifts and reactions on either side as that motion is unfolding.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Operating every Friday at noon, the Rolling Bridge becomes an enthralling sight, drawing large crowds to witness its unfolding process over the Grand Union Canal.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
The incident reflects a broader trend of neighborhood tension and disputes unfolding in different ways.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
In dictatorships, such as the one now unfolding at digital speed in many countries around the world, thousands or millions lose their lives or disappear.
—Alejandro González Iñárritu, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
Analysts are skeptical over whether the Gaza peace agreement — which calls for a full disarmament of Hamas, among other vexxing issues — will be fully implemented, even as its initial phase looked to be unfolding as hoped.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
There are no helping hands when the entire movie may or may not be unfolding inside someone’s head.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfolding
Verb
-
Despite months of military build-up, the escalation into a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory in February 2022 and the subsequent imposition of sweeping and continuously expanding sanctions came as a major shock to thousands of transnational corporations.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Crews expanding a major Lake Norman-area highway cut a gas line Friday, prompting evacuations and closing the busy road for hours, witnesses and town officials said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The band’s ever-evolving sound takes a step forward on LOTTO.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
-
He’s succeeded by evolving, in public, from newbie cinephile to expert—a journey he’s tracked by cataloging more than 2,000 movies on Letterboxd.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Plants spend all of their energy on flowering, so dividing during bloom time can stress their root development.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Spring flowering bulbs can give you the opportunity to be very creative.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Orionid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-October annually, is set to reach its maximum activity soon — offering skywatchers a dazzling celestial spectacle, as the fast-moving meteors occasionally become fireballs, appearing brighter than any of the stars or planets in the night sky.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Oct. 2025
-
While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast alongside her Bugonia castmate Jesse Plemons, host Josh Horowitz asked the actress a question about her former costar and ex-flame’s hush-hush appearance in the 2021 Marvel movie.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Palo Alto Police Department reversed course after initially encrypting its channels — re-opening them to the public, after citing the ability to use other means to protect citizen’s private information mentioned in the 2020 directive.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Kay, Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month for October, opens up about her forthcoming new album, touring with Jelly Roll, opening The Coffee Girl and more.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Throughout that opening period, Taiwo Awoniyi, Morgan Gibbs-White, Douglas Luiz and Elliot Anderson lined up as seen below to stop the visitors from progressing play centrally.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
In clinical trials that tested teplizumab in people at high risk for type 1, the drug reduced the risk of progressing to stage 3 by 59 percent overall.—
Tara Haelle,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In May 2018, the couple married at Lansing’s Frances Park surrounded by blooming rose gardens and nearly 100 guests.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Get ready to dive into a cosmos of blooming microorganisms!—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But for all the president’s demands, his leverage over Beijing is showing cracks as the Chinese economy continues to go from strength to strength.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Gas prices are viewed as an important economic indicator, although lower prices don’t guarantee a booming economy, and recent news and data points are showing an economy in which wealthy Americans appear to be spending freely, while poorer households seem to be pulling back.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfolding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfolding. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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