UNFETTER Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

unfetter

verb

ˌən-ˈfe-tər

Definition of unfetter

as in to free

to set free (as from slavery or confinement) authorities eventually unfettered the menagerie of wild animals that had been kept illegally as pets

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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 unfetter The Safdies are pointedly effective in capturing the way in which a chaotic city’s overall rhythm goes on unfettered even as a character experiences a horrific disruption or glitch in one small part of it. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2019 By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019 Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived. — Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfetter

Verb

Paying down high-interest debt frees up more room in the budget.

— Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
On top of that, the number of French army soldiers that normally patrol Paris as part of the country’s counter-terrorism measures will be increased to free the police from stationary guard duties.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of free

Verb

But by the fall of 2022, Ukraine had seized the offensive, liberating so much territory once held by Russian troops that Washington worried Putin might use a nuclear weapon to stop Ukrainian advances.

— Michael McFaul, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2026
Yakovleva described Kherson, which was the first major city to fall under Russian occupation in 2022 and was liberated by Ukraine later that year, as quiet – for the first time since its de-occupation.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of liberate

Verb

The latest figures, released in April and based mostly on 2024 data, actually reflect a slowdown from earlier jumps.

— Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
On October 24, 2006, Taylor Swift was released—the debut album by a 16-year-old with blonde curls, cowboy boots, and a special talent for turning heartbreak into hits.

— Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of release

Verb

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office is suing an animal rescue organization that was once a favorite among Hollywood celebrities, alleging that its owner purchased dogs from puppy mills and portrayed them to adopters as animals that were rescued.

— Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
As voters decide which party can best rescue their chance at the American Dream, political experts say prolonged economic hardship is the defining feature influencing voters in the midterms.

— Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of rescue

Verb

Their grip on song structure has loosened with each record and, by their most recent, 2024’s Exotic Birds of Prey, nearly dissipated altogether.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
His efforts to loosen dependence on America have earned his government sky-high approval ratings even as many Western governments face populations deeply unhappy with their rule.

— Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of loosen

Verb

At home, the United States had defeated their armies, destroyed their infrastructure, retaken their territory, emancipated their enslaved, and devastated their economy and society into a catastrophic mess.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
Drew was legally emancipated from her mother at 14 and began living independently.

— Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of emancipate

Browse Nearby Words

unfertile

unfetter

unfettered

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“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unfetter

verb

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