unclench

verb

Definition of unclenchnext
as in to unfurl

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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 unclench The tempo remains steady, but takes on a softer, more contemplative posture, as if urging you to unclench your jaw. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026 Your stiff limbs begin to unclench, as if death is slowly losing its hold on you. — Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025 If that doesn’t work, unclench your eyes, re-close them in the regular way, and then go back to sleep at a normal speed. — Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 For those who are vaccinated, relatively healthy, financially stable and with access to decent health care, there’s reason to unclench your jaw. — Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2022 Without such attention to Indian-Pakistani relations, India's democracy will not prosper and Pakistan's generals will never unclench their fists. — Christophe Jaffrelot, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclench
  1. unfurl
  2. unbutton
  3. unzip
  4. unfasten
  5. unfold
  6. unlatch
Verb
  • 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
Definition of unfurl
Verb
  • Earlier that week, the lithe 28-year-old walked the film festival’s storied red carpet wearing a custom Vivienne Westwood tuxedo and, of course, a shirt unbuttoned almost to the navel.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
  • The cropped top can be worn buttoned up for a sleek silhouette on a dinner date or unbuttoned over a tank for a museum-hopping day in Rome.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of unbutton
Verb
  • During his post-sack celebration, the star lineman pretended to unzip his pants and pee on the field.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Once there, Meir was able to unzip a portion of Adenot's extravehicular mobility unit's (EMU's) upper arm assembly to inspect what was happening.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of unzip
Verb
  • Transforming the cabin from sitting to sleeping is a group effort that includes unpacking the ladder (usually stowed beneath the seats with the luggage), unfastening the upper bunks, and making the beds.
    — Emily Manthei, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
  • After the pink fabric is unfastened from styrofoam beams floating 200 feet out from each island, the sections are towed to shore and rolled up in bundles, Morgan said.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of unfasten
Verb
  • Carlie Irsay-Gordon, owner and CEO of the Colts, issued a strong statement regarding why the decision to fire Ballard unfolded at this specific point of the regular season.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The common concern is what matters in the scene, and where the audience should be as that part of the story unfolds.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfold
Verb
  • Simply latch and unlatch to organize your favorite items in seconds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Relatedly, restitution may begin to address the pain that has become ubiquitous, an opportunity to unlatch the tentacle grips of oppression, which can be loosened through collective organizing, with something for everyone and not just a few.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Definition of unlatch

Browse Nearby Words

uncleared
unclench
unclenched
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Cite this Entry

“Unclench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclench. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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