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 In Peabody, officials are expanding a program that uses cameras mounted on school buses to identify drivers who fail to stop when buses are loading or unloading students. — Logan Hall, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Demonstrations involve tasks such as handling cardboard boxes, filling bottles, and loading and unloading wooden components. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026 While the Bucks were looking to unload Portis’ salary in the Antetokounmpo trade, the Heat have stressed that Portis is viewed as anything like a throw-in. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Oct. 2026 When the car returned to the property, a person resembling Sartin was seen unloading a bicycle. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unload

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unload

Verb

By unpacking how nature uses condensates, scientists hope to re-create some of its most rugged materials.

— Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
Unveiled last year by Global, the podcast unpacks the biggest stories shaping international affairs, geopolitics and the political landscape.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of unpack

Verb

Anytime a stock is spun off, there can be an adjustment period as investors who received shares due to ownership in its former parent decide to dump it.

— Kevin Stankiewicz,Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
Farmers dumped manure on the streets of Turin on Friday as mass demonstrations unfurled across more than 50 cities in Italy.

— Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of dump

Verb

They were offered the choice of evacuating to territory controlled by Ukraine or Russia, or remaining in the city with replenished food and medical supplies.

— HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Cleanup costs exceeded $767 million, and about 320 people, some of whom had evacuated their homes, reported symptoms consistent with crude oil exposure, according to the National Transportation and Safety Board.

— Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of evacuate

Verb

Treating this salty wastewater is expensive and energy-intensive, so much of it is usually discarded because processing the brine at concentrators costs too much.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Prior to Harmony's launch, the last new room addition to the ISS had occurred in 2001, when Russia's Pirs docking module (since discarded) arrived.

— Tariq Malik, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of discard

Verb

Availability and insurance coverage vary, but those conversations are much easier to have before you’re discharged.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Oct. 2026
This can involve releasing residual propellant, relieving pressure, and discharging or disconnecting batteries to reduce the risk of accidental explosions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of discharge

Verb

A lot of other researchers have published essays or long posts on social media, unburdening themselves of their concerns as well.

— Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of unburden

Verb

Black employees were more likely than others named on the list to have lost their jobs and still be unemployed, the Post found.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Beyond that frequency, the optical signal can lose intensity and become less useful for reliable data transmission.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 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 3 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unload

verb

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