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

Relevance

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

Stocks rebounded to end a turbulent election week, which saw investors dumping companies tied to the artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out after Democrats flipped the House and Senate and some key gubernatorial seats.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
Organizers staged demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms and urged investors to dump shares of the company’s stock.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of dump

Verb

Hundreds of people were told to evacuate, and the flooding cut off access to some areas.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
Two kids inside a Detroit home during a fire late Saturday morning were evacuated from the residence by firefighters, according to the city's fire department.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of evacuate

Verb

While the company works on a solution, Hunt Arsenal advises customers to set affected products aside and not return or discard them until further instructions are provided.

— Erik Barber, Outdoor Life, 5 Nov. 2026
Officers located and detained Stein in the area, and after a search, found a mini camera that had been discarded in a nearby trash can, police said.

— Breaking News, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unload. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unload

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

defer

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes