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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unlock
Throughout the 2010s, many vehicles came with 3G connectivity to power a host of in-car features, such as the ability to lock or unlock the car from one’s phone.
—
Andrew Moseman, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
Garance Marillier stars as a strict vegetarian and vet-school student forced to eat a rabbit kidney, which unlocks a whole new appetite not kosher in most circles.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
As annual fees for premium credit cards soar (hello, $795 Chase Sapphire Reserve and $895 Amex Platinum), travelers might wonder if there’s a different way to unlock perks without emptying their wallet.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
This exclusive reward unlocks more than 10 complimentary nights at more than 650 luxury properties worldwide.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlock
Andrew Moseman, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
Garance Marillier stars as a strict vegetarian and vet-school student forced to eat a rabbit kidney, which unlocks a whole new appetite not kosher in most circles.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
As annual fees for premium credit cards soar (hello, $795 Chase Sapphire Reserve and $895 Amex Platinum), travelers might wonder if there’s a different way to unlock perks without emptying their wallet.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
This exclusive reward unlocks more than 10 complimentary nights at more than 650 luxury properties worldwide.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlock
Verb
-
The concept of those parties was to cram as many people as possible into a very small basement, encourage everyone to get totally wasted, and then unleash the sounds of Meltdown at pain level.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
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The Fix Our Forests Act will help to unleash the conservation prowess of ranchers by limiting frivolous litigation and streamlining government processes to reduce fuel loads on the landscape at a much faster pace.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The number of foreign residents has risen sharply in recent years, reaching a record 3 percent of the population in 2024, as Tokyo cautiously loosened visa rules for workers in key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and caregiving.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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If your windows are heavily dirty, let the solution sit for a couple of minutes to loosen the dirt.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An internal investigation by Kenvue Brands LLC, the company that owns Neutrogena, revealed the brand’s Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes tested positive for a bacteria known as pluralibacter gergoviae, per information released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The White House did not release the size of the donations for all 37 listed.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlock. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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