unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak How to pronounce unpack (audio)
unpacked; unpacking; unpacks

transitive verb

1
a
: to remove the contents of
unpack a suitcase
b
: unburden, reveal
must … unpack my heart with wordsWilliam Shakespeare
2
: to remove or undo from packing or a container
unpacked his gear
3
: to analyze the nature of by examining in detail : explicate
unpack a concept
4
: decompress sense 2
unpack a compressed file

intransitive verb

: to engage in unpacking a container
unpacker noun

Examples of unpack in a Sentence

It's been a year since I moved here and I still haven't unpacked all of my books. I unpacked my suitcase as soon as I arrived home. By the time we got to the hotel, I was too tired to unpack. She's good at unpacking complex concepts.
Recent Examples on the Web The furnishings are original and authentic but refreshed and comfortable, the bathrooms are enormous and well-designed, and the walk-in closet provides the perfect space for your personal butler to unpack on arrival. Jim Dobson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 And there's a lot to unpack with this creative cosmetic moment, like glossy lips, intensely rosy cheeks, graphic liner, and false lashes with a bold balance. Marci Robin, Allure, 28 Feb. 2024 Give yourself an unflinchingly hard deadline for unpacking to put everything back in its place. Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024 The deputy is then seen unpacking a first-aid kit and appears to begin administering aid until paramedics take over. Steve Almasy, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 So yeah, there was a lot happening and a lot to unpack. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 Unnecessary physical exertion was another, such as pack drills, where they were given under a minute to unpack and repack their bags. Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 With this quality time and adventure comes the logistics of packing gear, setting up camping, and unpacking at home. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2024 My colleague Russ Mitchell unpacked the reasons behind the slump in EV sales, and looked into the question of what this trend might mean for California’s efforts to meet its climate goals, including a pledge to ban the sale of new gasoline- and diesel-powered cars and light trucks by 2035. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024

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

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpack was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near unpack

Cite this Entry

“Unpack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpack. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unpack

verb
un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak How to pronounce unpack (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to separate and remove things packed
got home and unpacked
2
: to open and remove the contents of
unpack a trunk

More from Merriam-Webster on unpack

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