UNLOAD Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

unload

verb

ˌən-ˈlōd

Definition of unload

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

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!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unload The man driving the Ram unloaded a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador from the trailer, the complaint states. — David Goodhue august 17, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 All five were hammered the following month as the AI trade abruptly reversed, helping push the fund to the brink and forcing it to unload much of its public-equity portfolio to Citadel. — Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 Parents groused that loading and unloading kids in the R1S could be a headache, especially with a child’s seat in the second row. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026 Injuries and off-court discipline led the team to unload him this offseason to Portland. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unload

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unload

Verb

But for the film’s main characters Marija (Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė) and Vytas (Marius Repšys), the conflict also serves, in part, as a distraction — a way to avoid unpacking their pain over their messy separation.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
For Thomas, unpacking what went wrong goes well beyond the headless bodies, terrifying phone calls and dead ends.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of unpack

Verb

The storm dumped more than a foot of rain over parts of the state, with the highest elevations getting more than 40 inches.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
The only other crime series out recently on Netflix are true-crime offerings, where a few of those are dumped out every week.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of dump

Verb

Two hospitals evacuated patients and the sheriff said his office was keeping a close watch on whether to evacuate the county jail.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
About 150 people in Union County were evacuated but all had been allowed to return home as of Saturday.

— Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of evacuate

Verb

O’Keefe’s appeal proved successful on Friday, when the three-judge panel agreed, with one judge dissenting in part, to discard the $130,000 damages judgment.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
For easier replanting, discard the woody central clump of the plant before dividing.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of discard

Verb

Although the emergency room remains a safety net, my patient was reluctant to go, knowing he might be discharged with a bill if not deemed sick enough for admission.

— Benjamin I. Lee, STAT, 24 Aug. 2026
Though Jackson discharged hundreds of largely incapacitated patients into homes chosen, and sometimes owned, by Solano, there is little evidence that the hospital engaged in any meaningful, routine oversight.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of discharge

Verb

French Gates argued balancing philanthropy, advocacy for reproductive rights, motherhood, writing, and entrepreneurship means ditching perfectionism.

— Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
At the end, the two friends drive off in different directions, with Brian deciding to ditch their high-octane lifestyles to focus on his family.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of ditch

Verb

These outsiders, like executives or academics from different fields, offer crucial external perspectives, unburdened by internal assumptions or politics.

— Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
The very nature of the oral tradition, which is decidedly African and characteristically unburdened by the rules of Western record-keeping, is the spirit of its truth, even more than its detail.

— Anne Haley, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of unburden

Verb

After the launch of the iPhone in 2007 transformed the smartphone industry, BlackBerry fought hard to keep its consumer mobile division alive with new devices — but ultimately lost the battle.

— Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
How did Bi work for Bryan for any length of time without absolutely losing his mind?

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of lose

Browse Nearby Words

unlivable

unload

unloaded

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“Unload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unload. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unload

verb

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