as in expanding
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
after the protestors had unfurled their banner, it stretched from one side of the visitors' gallery to the other
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Recent Examples of unfurling
The florist-by-trade gestures behind her to hundreds of flowers contained in buckets — blue thistles, ivory anemones and calla lilies painted silver — all twisted and unfurling into the air.
—
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
On May 20, 2025, Joslin and a group of activists climbed up one-third of El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite monolith in Yosemite Park, unfurling a large Transgender flag and hanging it along the mountainside for approximately two hours.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Poems about buds unfurling in the spring, poems about music, poems about all the work there is to be done.
—Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
Tehran has responded by unfurling a four-story poster in the capital’s Enghelab – or Revolution – Square threatening the destruction of an American aircraft carrier.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
The 12-hour time difference didn’t stop him from diving headfirst into the moment, jumping on the bed, playfully unfurling the pieces and directing camera cuts.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 21 Jan. 2026
Since then, changes have started unfurling at the entertainment and retail center.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
Hardly out of her teens, Anna Christopherson is a Swedish immigrant, brought by her mother to Minnesota as a young child while her father, Chris (Brian d’Arcy James, unfurling in the role as if it were written for him), was constantly away at sea.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
The source of her excitement was the slip of paper that Shaquille O’Neal was unfurling ahead on a panel of television screens, signifying arguably the most-favorable draw for the Americans.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2025
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
On May 20, 2025, Joslin and a group of activists climbed up one-third of El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite monolith in Yosemite Park, unfurling a large Transgender flag and hanging it along the mountainside for approximately two hours.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Poems about buds unfurling in the spring, poems about music, poems about all the work there is to be done.
—Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
Tehran has responded by unfurling a four-story poster in the capital’s Enghelab – or Revolution – Square threatening the destruction of an American aircraft carrier.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
The 12-hour time difference didn’t stop him from diving headfirst into the moment, jumping on the bed, playfully unfurling the pieces and directing camera cuts.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 21 Jan. 2026
Since then, changes have started unfurling at the entertainment and retail center.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
Hardly out of her teens, Anna Christopherson is a Swedish immigrant, brought by her mother to Minnesota as a young child while her father, Chris (Brian d’Arcy James, unfurling in the role as if it were written for him), was constantly away at sea.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
The source of her excitement was the slip of paper that Shaquille O’Neal was unfurling ahead on a panel of television screens, signifying arguably the most-favorable draw for the Americans.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfurling
Verb
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The scandal is now expanding into an international investigation, placing Miami at the center of a complex web of shell companies, offshore transfers and opaque financial flows.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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The rollout will start in Charlotte before expanding to Chicago and Milwaukee.—
Chase Jordan
March 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Congress anticipated those rising costs and debated extending the enhanced premium tax credits toward the end of last year.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
San Antonio had six players score in double figures while extending its lead to 29 points in the third quarter.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sarah Marlow, global head of fertiliser pricing at Argus, agreed that the unfolding crisis in the Middle East would have a bigger impact on the fertilizer trade than the Russia-Ukraine war.—
Chloe Taylor,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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As China’s fashion market recovers, that momentum is unfolding against a shifting backdrop.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There isn’t a single season-opening starter back from last year’s offensive line, and the secondary is in the same boat.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Associated Press reported that Rivera's attorneys argued in their opening statement that Rivera's lobbying was exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act, because it was focused on bringing the oil company Exxon back to Venezuela, for the subsidiary, which is based out of Texas.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfurling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfurling. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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