unfurl

verb

un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l How to pronounce unfurl (audio)
unfurled; unfurling; unfurls
Synonyms of unfurl

transitive verb

: to release from a furled state
unfurled the sails

intransitive verb

: to open out from or as if from a furled state : unfold
The flowers are starting to unfurl.

Synonyms of unfurl

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Examples of unfurl in a Sentence

after the protestors had unfurled their banner, it stretched from one side of the visitors' gallery to the other
Recent Examples on the Web
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There are more mysteries to unfurl in future episodes of Pet Cemetery Murders, starting with the isolated Grey Gardens–esque dynamic between Dorothy and her own mother, Grace, who opened the pet cemetery in 1946. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026 Waits unfurls a sad story over the course of the song, dropping details about an unnamed woman in red shoes who’s standing by the newsstand outside a pharmacy on a cold, rainy night. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 Wild Land Instead of rising straight up from the truck bed like the Wingman/Safari Cruiser design, the Pickupmate Trunk has a multidirectional design that shifts slightly backward before unfurling dramatically forward over the truck cab. — New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026 Conversely, East of Eden unfurls its consideration of human nature and inheritance across multiple generations. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfurl

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfurl was in 1641

Rhymes for unfurl

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Browse Nearby Words

unfunny
unfurl
unfurnish
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Cite this Entry

“Unfurl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfurl. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unfurl

verb
un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l How to pronounce unfurl (audio)
: to loose from a furled state : open or spread : unfold
unfurl sails
unfurl a flag
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