unfold
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bring out of a folded state; spread or open out.
Unfold your arms.
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to spread out or lay open to view.
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to reveal or display.
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to reveal or disclose in words, especially by careful or systematic exposition; set forth; explain.
verb (used without object)
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to become unfolded; open.
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to develop.
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to become clear, apparent, or known.
The protagonist's character unfolds as the story reaches its climax.
verb
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to open or spread out or be opened or spread out from a folded state
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to reveal or be revealed
the truth unfolds
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to develop or expand or be developed or expanded
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unfoldsimple
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unfoldssimple
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have unfoldedperfect
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has unfoldedperfect
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am unfoldingprogressive
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are unfoldingprogressive
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is unfoldingprogressive
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have been unfoldingperfect progressive
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has been unfoldingperfect progressive
Past
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unfoldedsimple
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had unfoldedperfect
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was unfoldingprogressive
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were unfoldingprogressive
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had been unfoldingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unfold
before 900; Middle English unfolden, Old English unfealdan; cognate with German entfalten. See un- 2, fold 1
Explanation
To unfold is to open or reveal, the way a small square of paper might unfold into a large map, or the way the plot of a mystery novel can unfold into a clear picture of who the killer is. Anything that's folded or compacted unfolds as it opens up and stretches out. So a yoga teacher might curl into a tight ball and then unfold his limbs, stretching them wide. Or you might unfold a tightly sealed secret note or a gently creased letter from your grandparents. Information can unfold figuratively, too, or become more open and clear: "As the details of the crime began to unfold, the detective got ready to make an arrest."
Vocabulary lists containing unfold
"Play Ball!"
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastry and cut it into nine roughly 3-inch squares.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
One of the most magical and underrated natural wonders of the West is about to unfold across California beaches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
The mission did not unfold perfectly, but it proved the concept could fly.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
"Dangerous heat is expected to unfold through the weekend with triple digit highs and potential for daily maximum temperature records both days," the service's Weather Prediction Center said Saturday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
With so many people watching this catastrophe unfold, the odds that any one of them would offer to help were tragically slim.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
"As his health deteriorates, his protest gains traction and raises the political stakes for the government. How this unfolds remains to be seen."
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
What will play a big part in his thinking is how the situation in the Mideast unfolds.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Yet even this celebration unfolds under the shadow of the conflict.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
Despite the song’s look back and the equally autobiographical ballad “L.E.S. Girl” later on, the record as a whole unfolds in the present moment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
He picks up the tie and unfolds it so the satin finish catches the light.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
As the drama unfolded on the course, Young unpacked his locker in the Birkdale clubhouse.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The bizarre hostage crisis unfolded like a scene from a movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Mr. Dillon recounts how the Cultural Revolution unfolded in Shanghai, both in its local factions and the ideological struggle between Shanghai and the capital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
But three men who were inside the vehicle with Araujo dispute that account, saying the encounter unfolded differently and that officers were not in the path of the vehicle when shots were fired.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Simon took the Hixby’s Guide and unfolded the map.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Homer’s “Odyssey” begins after Troy has already fallen, with the Trojan War recounted in memories and stories rather than unfolding as part of the action.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The debate is unfolding at a particularly visible moment.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
To be sure, this high-level view of the market overlooks some of the carnage unfolding beneath the surface.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
"The signs from El-Obeid are clear and unmistakable: another human rights catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan," he warned.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
There would be lilac, and honeysuckle still, and the white magnolia buds unfolding slow and tight beneath the dining-room window.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
