1
as in discharging
to empty or rid of cargo
the dockworkers unloaded the ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dumping
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
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Recent Examples of unloading
As viewers may remember, the couple was often shown bickering during their journey, with Jonathan, a software developer, seemingly unloading his frustrations on Ana, a stay-at-home mom.
—
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
In one video posted on Instagram, several people are seen on the side of the bridge unloading what appears to be several boxes of fireworks.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
No loading and unloading the car, no long morning commutes—just grab your gear and go.
—Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
You're not locked into unloading a full ounce at once, which can be appealing for people who view silver as a form of emergency liquidity.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
But with this recent stretch, paired with the teams around them getting weaker by unloading talent at the trade deadline, the Hornets are in prime position to play well into April for the first time in the better part of a decade.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 7 Feb. 2026
Labeling the pantry is especially helpful in households where multiple people are responsible for unloading groceries or meal prepping.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Vance said that for too long, China has used the tactic of unloading materials at cheap prices to undermine potential competitors, then ratcheting up prices later after keeping new mines from being built in other countries.
—Didi Tang, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Even listening to a favorite song and dancing around the kitchen while unloading the dishwasher can become a beloved family ritual—just think about what brings your family joy, and go from there.
—Erica Jackson Curran, Parents, 11 Jan. 2026
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
In one video posted on Instagram, several people are seen on the side of the bridge unloading what appears to be several boxes of fireworks.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
No loading and unloading the car, no long morning commutes—just grab your gear and go.
—Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
You're not locked into unloading a full ounce at once, which can be appealing for people who view silver as a form of emergency liquidity.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
But with this recent stretch, paired with the teams around them getting weaker by unloading talent at the trade deadline, the Hornets are in prime position to play well into April for the first time in the better part of a decade.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 7 Feb. 2026
Labeling the pantry is especially helpful in households where multiple people are responsible for unloading groceries or meal prepping.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Vance said that for too long, China has used the tactic of unloading materials at cheap prices to undermine potential competitors, then ratcheting up prices later after keeping new mines from being built in other countries.
—Didi Tang, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Even listening to a favorite song and dancing around the kitchen while unloading the dishwasher can become a beloved family ritual—just think about what brings your family joy, and go from there.
—Erica Jackson Curran, Parents, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unloading
Verb
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Video released by the department shows the gunman shooting at victims, as well as the three officers who responded to the incident discharging their firearms at the gunman.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
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The two men also were convicted of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For decades the Fayetteville production site of Chemours, a DuPont spinoff, has been dumping GenX into the river.—
Patrick Sisson,
Scientific American,
9 Mar. 2026
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The Dolphins reached an agreement with Willis a few hours after dumping Tagovailoa — who later agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons — and incurring a record $99 million hit on their salary cap.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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As the Fashion News Editor at British Vogue, Daniel Rodgers covers a broad range of topics, unpacking the effects of culture on clothing.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gameplay varies but the premise involves discarding and picking up tiles to create matching or sequenced sets.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Mar. 2026
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Anthropic ended up discarding the idea that the cloud provision could resolve the problem.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Roads in the Lebanese capital were choked with evacuating traffic as smoke rose over the city’s southern districts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
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Walker said many Americans have been evacuating through Oman, which is about a five-hour drive from Dubai.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Research shows most Americans favor ditching the practice, but are divided on which time system should stick.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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While Steyer is on the evening news in every California media market, Swalwell will still be ditching votes to record TikTok videos.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Remember the Wolverines started the Southern Section Open Division playoffs last month as an afterthought after losing three of the last four regular-season games.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Anthropic has raised concerns over students off-loading cognitive work to AI systems, and OpenAI has acknowledged that dependence on AI tools more generally is a problem.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
1 Dec. 2025
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The canister was still wedged in my crotch, off-loading its contents like a homemade Roman candle.—
Charlie Sheen,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Unloading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unloading. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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