1
as in discharging
to empty or rid of cargo
the dockworkers unloaded the ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
His predecessor, Doug McMillon, followed a similarly humble path—starting out unloading trailers at a Walmart distribution center before eventually taking the top job.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 June 2026
The incoming team's portion of the cost was $32 million, including chartering the ship and loading and unloading the gear.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2026
Down in the pit, on a raw October night in 1966, one of the giant haulers was unloading its tonnage when the pistons of its dump bed seized up.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Durable enough to handle the elements, this waterproof light features a comfortable elastic strap and a bright, adjustable beam that improves visibility while keeping both hands free for unloading luggage, handling car repairs, or setting up camp in the dark.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
At this moment, on this Saturday morning, crew members representing nearly every team focused their attention on one specific team unloading one specific car.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Perry dropped Diaz with a knee in the closing seconds, unloading uppercuts, elbows and hooks as Diaz tried to bounce away from the fence.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Dahlia, a disillusioned police aide, breaks into the mansion of the corrupt police chief Bernal and steals the money from his safe, unloading the funds to slum dwellers whose settlement Bernal razed down.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Although Drake’s clear goal with this triple drop is unloading the clip, there’s a semblance to the sprawl.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 June 2026
The incoming team's portion of the cost was $32 million, including chartering the ship and loading and unloading the gear.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2026
Down in the pit, on a raw October night in 1966, one of the giant haulers was unloading its tonnage when the pistons of its dump bed seized up.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Durable enough to handle the elements, this waterproof light features a comfortable elastic strap and a bright, adjustable beam that improves visibility while keeping both hands free for unloading luggage, handling car repairs, or setting up camp in the dark.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
At this moment, on this Saturday morning, crew members representing nearly every team focused their attention on one specific team unloading one specific car.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Perry dropped Diaz with a knee in the closing seconds, unloading uppercuts, elbows and hooks as Diaz tried to bounce away from the fence.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Dahlia, a disillusioned police aide, breaks into the mansion of the corrupt police chief Bernal and steals the money from his safe, unloading the funds to slum dwellers whose settlement Bernal razed down.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Although Drake’s clear goal with this triple drop is unloading the clip, there’s a semblance to the sprawl.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unloading
Verb
-
Saturday for a report of discharging.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
Online jail records reviewed by PEOPLE show Williams, 21, was booked into jail that Saturday on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, possession or transportation of a machine gun, and discharging a firearm.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The post drew tens of thousands of responses, mostly from users trauma-dumping their hardships.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Leonard previously pleaded guilty to abandonment of a corpse for dumping the boy’s body in Bates County, Missouri, and was sentenced to four years, though the new case records have not been made available on the Kansas Judicial Branch public database.—
Ian Cummings,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 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.—
Bianca Betancourt,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Nilles proved herself both fierce and precise behind the kit, unpacking every nuance of Peart’s playing, from her fluid waves of tom-tom fills to her snappy hi-hat work.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Baking soda isn't a cure-all for digestive discomfort, but proper soaking, discarding the soaking liquid, and gradually increasing your bean intake may help.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
8 June 2026
-
His experience across retail and institutional pharmacy environments informs a view grounded in workflow mechanics, data pipelines, and system reliability, discarding broad claims about automation for focused analysis.—
Ethan Stone
June 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Earlier, the Forward Seaman's Union of India told CBS News the crew were uninjured and evacuating from the ship.—
Khaled Wassef,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
So Covey recommends evacuating the neighborhoods within a half-mile of the GKN plant, which is on Western Avenue, just south of Chapman Avenue.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Kenji Tanigaki’s Hong Kong epic, which opens in American theaters today via Lionsgate Films, stars some of the world’s most talented martial artists fighting quickly as a steady camera follows, ditching any blurriness that might come from lesser hands.—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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As a surprise, rather than ditching the electrically adjustable climate vent fan direction, which probably costs and weighs more than simple physical sliders, the R2 sticks with the same system as the R1—legitimately an annoyance and one that borders on dangerous.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Off-loading tasks such as writing code might result in cognitive atrophy over the long term, and that is problematic in itself, but off-loading ethical decisions will result in an atrophy of moral reasoning, which is worse.—
Ted Chiang,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
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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
Verb
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Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 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,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unloading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unloading. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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