unfurl

verb

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

transitive verb

: to release from a furled state

intransitive verb

: to open out from or as if from a furled state : unfold

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 Image On a recent afternoon, at her individual workbench in the cavernous 207th Street facility, Gay Burdick, an electronic equipment maintainer, unfurled a crisp new roll of train signage. David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The service is gentle, the courses unfurl at an adagio-like pace. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 Inside the building others unfurled pro-Palestinian banners from the upper floor. Ed Meza, Variety, 24 Feb. 2024 Our illicit affair unfurled over those last days of summer. Kimberly Bridson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024 Everywhere is Taliban In broad strokes, Kander told The Star, the events unfurled like this: A former Army captain, Kander had served in Afghanistan as a military intelligence officer for roughly four months, October 2006 to February 2007. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 7 Feb. 2024 The couple in front of me unfurls what looks like a futon mattress before arranging pillows and blankets on top of it. Dustin Nelson, SPIN, 1 Feb. 2024 The narrative unfurls like a gentle melody, asserting that building a harmonious society need not be an arduous task. Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 And the pier offers a prime spot to see surfing competitions, like the Super Girl Surf Pro this fall, or just hang out and watch the everyday action unfurl in the curls. Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfurl.' 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

1641, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfurl was in 1641

Dictionary Entries Near unfurl

Cite this Entry

“Unfurl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfurl. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on unfurl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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