unchain

verb

ˌən-ˈchān How to pronounce unchain (audio)
Definition of unchainnext
as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement) activists for animal rights who would like to unchain zoo animals and return them to the wild

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unchain Police say the three protesters had the ability to unchain themselves from the equipment but refused. — USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2019 On Wednesday, the rescuers carefully lifted the shed enough to reach Bubbles and unchain the dog. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 3 Sep. 2021 Max eventually unchains himself and helps Furiosa in her quest to free the cult leader's wives, gaining mutual respect along the way. — Ew Staff, EW.com, 3 July 2024 Van Gogh had unchained it from its age-old funereal associations and reinvented it as a tour de force of emotional connection and nurturance. — Deborah Solomon, New York Times, 11 May 2023 The feds give an official exemption to Nuro, a company working on small self-driving cars—a sign that regulators are willing to unchain autonomous vehicles from the old rules. — Aarian Marshall, Wired, 9 Feb. 2020 When Henson refused to unchain herself from the fence, California Highway Patrol arrested her. — Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2024 The nationwide standalone 5G that the carrier announced Wednesday essentially unchains that service from 4G LTE, allowing devices to connect to the network without first requiring a setup via AT&T’s older and slower network. — PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unchain
  1. free
  2. liberate
  3. release
  4. rescue
  5. save
  6. loosen
  7. emancipate
Verb
  • Crews stabilized the pickup before performing a technical extrication to free the driver.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • The flywheel does not need to be replaced every 3-5 years and can be installed outdoors, freeing up more space and cash for compute.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Definition of free
Verb
  • When the United States invaded the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, Twain naively imagined that the country would be liberated and turned into a republic.
    — Ron Chernow, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • Automation that was meant to liberate becomes a maze of fragile scripts and blame-shifting alerts.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of liberate
Verb
  • Nuclear fusion is the process of combining two hydrogen atoms to form one helium atom, releasing huge amounts of energy.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Prior to the hearing, the Kirk family released a statement on social media.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of release
Verb
  • Analysts credit the 2011 purchase of NBCUniversal as a huge success; Comcast rescued a company that was on the ropes due to General Electric’s under-investment.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The infant, who is 9 months old, was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told Fox News Digital.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of rescue
Verb
  • There’s a bunch of new things across most of the 2026 range, mainly cosmetic, but also hardware and weight-saving stuff as well.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
  • The measure could incentivize lawmakers to save more money because funds tucked away in the rainy day fund would no longer be considered expenditures counted toward the spending limit.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of save
Verb
  • Matching trousers stayed narrow through the hips before loosening down the leg into a slight flare.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026
  • As summer arrives, snow begins melting, ice hardens and rocks loosen, increasing the risk of falls and rockfall.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of loosen
Verb
  • Finally, David ends the episode with a discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello and how ancient plays can emancipate readers from some of their modern prejudices.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
  • The long shadow of the occupation Twenty-three years after George Bush and Tony Blair resolved that Iraqis were to be emancipated, the country remains captive to a masquerade of power.
    — Nabil Salih, Time, 26 May 2026
Definition of emancipate

Browse Nearby Words

uncertainty
unchain
unchained
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Cite this Entry

“Unchain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unchain. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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