unblock
Americanverb (used with object)
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unblocks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unblocked,
past participle, past
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unblocking
present participle
-
to remove a block or obstruction from.
to unblock a channel; to unblock a person's credit.
-
Bridge. to play (a suit) so that the last card of the suit in one hand can provide access to the hand of the partnership having the longer holding in the suit.
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unblocksimple
-
unblockssimple
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have unblockedperfect
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has unblockedperfect
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am unblockingprogressive
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are unblockingprogressive
-
is unblockingprogressive
-
have been unblockingperfect progressive
-
has been unblockingperfect progressive
Past
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unblockedsimple
-
had unblockedperfect
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was unblockingprogressive
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were unblockingprogressive
-
had been unblockingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unblock
Explanation
If you unblock something, you free it or clear it of anything that's in its way. A plumber's frequent task is to unblock pipes so water can move through them. You can unblock your stuffed-up nose by blowing into a tissue, or unblock the driveway by moving your bike into the garage. Cardiologists, or heart doctors, often need to operate on patients in order to unblock their clogged arteries, so blood can flow freely. Unblock comes from adding the "reversal" prefix un- to the verb block, "obstruct or hinder passage."
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:
Housebuilding has fallen in London in recent years, but Pennycook insisted the "call in" powers had helped the mayor "unblock strategic growth sites" in the capital.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Magyar said Poland had much to teach Hungary about how to restore the rule of law, fight corruption and unblock EU funds.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
The plan is an arm’s-length effort to unblock the vital supply waterway that doesn’t involve escorts by U.S. warships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
I can’t access them again until I return to my office and re-tap the pass to unblock them.
From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2026
Mr. Clifford implored the man, almost with tears, to unblock the wall and allow them to go down to the Makalanga.
From Benita, an African romance by Henry Rider Haggard
Proton VPN successfully unblocks major streaming platforms, with Plus servers optimized for streaming access.
From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2026
“Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it,” the account posted.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2025
The government believes the deal doesn’t endanger national interests or identity and unblocks the path for the country to join the EU.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2022
No strategy reliably unblocks your memory, but research shows you might mitigate the social damage.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2021
The therapy unblocks him, like a plunger inside a backed-up sink.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 24, 2020
Parents and teachers said consumer AI chatbots were fully unblocked for children on their school-issued devices starting last fall in the district, which serves mostly economically disadvantaged students.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
According to a CNN report on Sunday, satellite images show that Iran has unblocked 50 out of the 69 tunnel entrances bombed by the US and Israel at 18 underground missile facilities.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
The unblocked billions would help revive Hungary's ailing economy, he added.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
In my testing, it unblocked everything I threw at it.
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2026
The path ahead was empty too, and when Harry reached a right turn and took it, he again found his way unblocked.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Zelensky said on his X account Wednesday that unblocking the funding “is now effectively underway” and provided “the right signal under the circumstances.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Unlike some VPNs that require specialized streaming servers, Surfshark’s general server network handles unblocking duties well.
From Salon ● Dec. 10, 2025
What developers and private investors want from the UK and Scottish governments is the unblocking of obstacles in planning, support in building up the supply chain and reduced risk to investments.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2024
“Like acupuncture, which uses fine needles, Bojin is a method of unblocking stuck qi using a pointed tool made of stone or horn.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2024
And he had no intention of unblocking it.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
