1
as in to unpack
to empty or rid of cargo
the dockworkers unloaded the ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dump
to get rid of as useless or unwanted
I can't seem to unload this old car—even the charities won't take it!
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unload
Each needs to be berthed, unloaded and reloaded, refueled and repositioned as well as piloted in and out of a complex harbor.
—
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
These aircraft would have unloaded US troops near the compound to capture the president.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
High schoolers regularly volunteer to unload trucks for the local senior center and help set up dinners at the Knights of Columbus.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
In San Martin that day, a helicopter landed, unloading between 20 and 30 soldiers who entered a property and detained five people who had been sowing grass and tending to pastures, the complaint said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unload
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
These aircraft would have unloaded US troops near the compound to capture the president.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
High schoolers regularly volunteer to unload trucks for the local senior center and help set up dinners at the Knights of Columbus.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
In San Martin that day, a helicopter landed, unloading between 20 and 30 soldiers who entered a property and detained five people who had been sowing grass and tending to pastures, the complaint said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unload
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unload
Verb
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When the beetle takes flight, the woman, who is busy unpacking, doesn’t realize for a moment that there’s something out of place about that rasping ruckus, that foreign hum.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
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There’s just a lot more to unpack about whether that’s the reality of all of that.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann is expected to plead guilty at an April 8 court appearance, and admit to killing women and dumping their bodies near Gilgo Beach along with other locations on Long Island, according to a source familiar with the case.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Last week, that seemed prudent, since the party’s membership database had already been hacked, with names and private information of members dumped online.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bystanders and Kauai Fire Department crews rescued and medically evacuated two survivors to Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue, Hawaii, the Coast Guard said.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Boxer also has heavy-lift and attack helicopters, as well as MV-22B Osprey, fast, long-range tilt-rotor aircraft used to transport troops and equipment, and to evacuate the wounded.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The restaurant voluntarily discarded the food.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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But selling the store is tantamount to discarding his story.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The child was not dehydrated and was discharged.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Four have been discharged from hospital, Derbyshire police said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to Local 10, Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen also responded to the scene and saw the frazzled trio attempting to ditch the scene.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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OpenAI ditches video generation app Sora, and loses $1 billion from Disney.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One such affair claimed an extra life when the executioner’s son ascended the scaffold to brandish a head, lost his footing, and fell to his death.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Rockets are a team that lost its starting point guard (Fred VanVleet) at the start of the year while the Knicks brought back and built upon the exact same core that punched the franchise’s first ticket to the conference finals in the last quarter-century.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Babies unburdened by layers of jackets were seen pushed in strollers on Wednesday as temperatures hit around 70 degrees.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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Startups, unburdened by entrenched processes and office politics, were found to fare considerably better.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unload. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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