unmaking 1 of 2

noun

as in removal

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

unmaking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of unmake
as in deposing
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne) a movie studio chief who likes to boast that he can unmake any star in Hollywood if he wishes

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 unmaking
Noun
The film doesn’t entirely shy away from Presley’s unmaking. — Kim Willis, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026 The unmaking of the West has not been Trump’s doing alone. — Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
An ellipsis making and unmaking itself. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 By the time Ben is unmaking the bed, lying in it, and cussing João out, the fight is bad. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmaking
  1. removal
  2. deposing
  3. overthrow
  4. sacking
  5. impeachment
  6. toppling
  7. expulsion
  8. dismissal
Noun
  • The stadium’s public ownership alone does not establish a violation; the government’s involvement in the removals would be a key question.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • People in the country longer may have more opportunities to contest their removal while the government typically has greater authority to fast-track deportations for people arrested at the border.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of removal
Verb
  • Successfully deposing the Mad King, The Rebellion leads to the downfall of House Targaryen.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 July 2026
  • Hamad himself seized control after deposing his father, Sheikh Khalifa, in a bloodless palace coup in 1995.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of deposing
Noun
  • Some rallied for anti-Israel causes, while others called for the overthrow of the current political system.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The pick-six and a handful of overthrows kept the grade from climbing higher.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of overthrow
Verb
  • The underlying data shows the Chiefs should be sacking the quarterback at a higher rate already, albeit still not near an elite rate.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Sayin’s injury came after Hoosiers defender Mario Landino hit his throwing shoulder while sacking him.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of sacking
Noun
  • Past legal troubles, scrutiny around his finances, allegations of infidelity and a 2023 impeachment.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Activists called for an evening rally outside Congress to demand Peña's impeachment and an investigation into the bank's collapse, while an association of pensioners planned a protest outside Peña's official residence.
    — EMILIO SANABRIA, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of impeachment
Verb
  • Washington follows this pattern of behavior because sanctions alone rarely—if ever—make a problem disappear, such as by toppling the government responsible.
    — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Despite the rain and wind toppling over organizer tents, the energy of Souls to the Polls felt akin to a backyard barbecue; organizers say that’s exactly the point.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of toppling
Noun
  • Rodolfo Friedmann, a party vice president, called for Peña's expulsion, while Senate President Basilio Núñez defended the president and blamed the central bank instead.
    — EMILIO SANABRIA, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry had not publicly announced these latest measures, unlike last month’s expulsions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of expulsion
Noun
  • Cruz said that the dismissal of the rising cost of living led Republicans to be unsuccessful this election cycle.
    — Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Now, the Seminoles quarterback is being turned to as a stabilizing presence in what has been a turbulent week, after coach Mike Norvell’s dismissal.
    — Bob Ferrante, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of dismissal

Browse Nearby Words

unmakes
unmaking
unmalicious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unmaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmaking. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cockamamie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

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

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All