unfold

verb

un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld How to pronounce unfold (audio)
unfolded; unfolding; unfolds

transitive verb

1
a
: to open the folds of : spread or straighten out : expand
unfolded the map
b
: to remove (something, such as a package) from the folds : unwrap
2
: to open to the view : reveal
especially : to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital

intransitive verb

1
a
: to open from a folded state : open out : expand
b
2
: develop, evolve
as the story unfolds
3
: to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known
a panorama unfolds before their eyes
unfoldment noun

Examples of unfold in a Sentence

The couch unfolds to form a bed. We'll have more news as events unfold. We watched the drama unfold on live television. As the story unfolds, we learn that the boy became an orphan when he was one year old.
Recent Examples on the Web Alas, Liu’s spider-sense didn’t alert him to the insidious plot that was about to unfold. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Both performers dressed in black, masks covering their faces as the circular screen above their heads projected grainy images of the action unfolding below. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 11 Mar. 2024 Even her forecast for how the match would unfold landed on target. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN — There are constant reminders in our everyday surroundings of the many chapters of life that have unfolded on Earth. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, fans can expect to get updates on all the love connections, heartbreaks and drama that unfolded after cameras stopped rolling this season. Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Exploring what made Twitter a unique home for the Black community, the series that unfolds like a coming-of-age story in the vein of Star Wars or The Matrix, according to its director. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 But even this information fell short of explaining what exactly would happen were another January 6–type event to unfold in real time. Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024 What brought the police to the home that day was a series of strange events that unfolded in the days prior. Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfold was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near unfold

Cite this Entry

“Unfold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfold. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unfold

verb
un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld How to pronounce unfold (audio)
1
a
: to spread or cause to spread or straighten out from a folded position or arrangement
unfolded the map
b
: unwrap
2
3
: develop sense 1a
as the story unfolds
4
: to open out or cause to open out gradually to the view or understanding
new technology unfolds before us

More from Merriam-Webster on unfold

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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