unleashed; unleashing; unleashes
1
: to free from or as if from a leash : let loose
unleash the dogs
unleashing his anger
2
: to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully
… unleashed a superb shot … to earn his side a point.—
The New York Times
The New York Times3
: to allow or cause (something powerful) to happen suddenly
The storm unleashed its fury.
The editorial unleashed a flood/torrent of angry responses.
Examples of unleash in a Sentence
The storm unleashed its fury.
The editorial unleashed a torrent of angry responses.
Recent Examples on the Web
Frey unleashed his five-pitch arsenal, thwarting the Spartans most of the way.
—Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
But the War on Terror persisted and mutated into nightmares in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then Syria, which unleashed that darkness in the form of terrorist states and a refugee crisis that spread anti-Muslim and anti-migrant hatred to Europe, the United States, and beyond.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Dunkin' menu also features Dirty Soda, Oreo items Dunkin' has unleashed its own version of Dirty Soda, the company announced.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
His death unleashed a wave of violence in 20 states of the country.
—Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unleash
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Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
But the War on Terror persisted and mutated into nightmares in Iraq and Afghanistan, and then Syria, which unleashed that darkness in the form of terrorist states and a refugee crisis that spread anti-Muslim and anti-migrant hatred to Europe, the United States, and beyond.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Dunkin' menu also features Dirty Soda, Oreo items Dunkin' has unleashed its own version of Dirty Soda, the company announced.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
His death unleashed a wave of violence in 20 states of the country.
—Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unleash
Cite this Entry
“Unleash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unleash. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unleash
verb
un·leash
ˌən-ˈlēsh 
: to free from or as if from a leash
unleash a dog
the storm unleashed its fury
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