as in to unleash
to set free (from a state of being held in check)
that last insult unlocked her tongue, and she finally said what she really thought
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Recent Examples of unlock
The Paton-Payton braintrust has made that clear this entire offseason, and their firing of receivers coach Keary Colbert and hire of longtime Payton associate Ronald Curry signal that Denver believes in unlocking the potential of its current group rather than needing a drastic personnel overhaul.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Vast's Haven stations are engineered to deliver safe, cost-effective access to microgravity research and in-space manufacturing, empowering government and commercial partners to unlock the full commercial promise of this next era for space.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
The coaching staff even toyed with utilizing him as an infielder rather than as a pitcher or lowering his arm slot to unlock something the current version couldn’t.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The Gophers’ 2-3 zone defense was a key piece in winning three of the previous four games, but the Hoosiers unlocked it.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlock
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Vast's Haven stations are engineered to deliver safe, cost-effective access to microgravity research and in-space manufacturing, empowering government and commercial partners to unlock the full commercial promise of this next era for space.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
The coaching staff even toyed with utilizing him as an infielder rather than as a pitcher or lowering his arm slot to unlock something the current version couldn’t.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The Gophers’ 2-3 zone defense was a key piece in winning three of the previous four games, but the Hoosiers unlocked it.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlock
Verb
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Trump expresses confidence that his nominee to become Fed chair, Kevin Warsh, can unleash an economic bonanza by jettisoning what the president sees as the central bank’s hidebound reluctance to slash interest rates.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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Cuba’s government accused those suspects of trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism, although the exact motive remains unclear.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On top of that, there are agents that begin with good intentions but can turn against users and become scammers themselves when users loosen the reins — forcing security companies to adapt in real time to shifting threats.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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This basically turns it into a small T-style driver that provides extra leverage for loosening screws or jammed fasteners.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lesli Boese told the judge Thursday that Casap was too dangerous to ever be released from prison.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The government released thousands more documents in the decades that followed before establishing AARO to investigate sightings and publish reports.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlock. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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