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 Another night charter captain, Jack Passie, and John Alberda lifted the bass out of my boat with a boom used to unload commercial catches. — Bob Rocchetta As Told To Al Ristori, Outdoor Life, 28 Oct. 2026 After shootings like these, calls for gun owners to keep their guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition are common. — Nina Vinik, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The firm said that currently the ship plans to unload that fuel in New York. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026 Think of your home as a simulated work environment in which everyday chores — like unloading the dishwasher or gathering ingredients for a meal – are a chance to learn. — John Gill, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unload

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unload

Verb

Of all there is to keep unpacking and processing about the Chiefs’ deflating 28-24 loss to the Broncos on Sunday, the most salient point can be found in something Andy Reid addressed Monday in a Zoom call with reporters.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
Michael Fishman is unpacking his complex relationship with his TV mom, Roseanne Barr.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 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

Developed by a team at Dongguk University in South Korea, the thin-film platform uses tin and carbon layers to control lithium deposition and reduce lithium loss during charging and discharging.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
The Ministry of Health said the five patients had recovered and were discharged following negative test results.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of discharge

Verb

The Watch Fit 27’s design is slightly different than the Watch Fit released last year, ditching the fabric strap in favor of a silicone band.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Her plan to ditch her small-minded ex-husband (who doesn’t appear in Season 2) doesn’t include sitting for rounds of speed-dating or waiting out a relationship that may never end.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of ditch

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

Days after losing the governor’s race by a wide margin, Republican Steve Hilton argued Thursday his campaign should serve as a template for future GOP tickets and hinted at a potential second run for governor.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026
There is no tension between expectation and reality, no concrete regret or achievement, no shift in perspective, nothing gained or lost.

— Vrinda Jagota, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of lose

Browse Nearby Words

unlivable

unload

unloaded

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Style

“Unload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unload. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unload

verb

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