unfold
Americanverb (used with object)
-
unfolds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unfolded,
past participle, past
-
unfolding
present participle
-
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.
-
to reveal or display.
-
to reveal or disclose in words, especially by careful or systematic exposition; set forth; explain.
verb (used without object)
-
unfolds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unfolded,
past participle, past
-
unfolding
present participle
-
to become unfolded; open.
-
to develop.
-
to become clear, apparent, or known.
The protagonist's character unfolds as the story reaches its climax.
verb
-
to open or spread out or be opened or spread out from a folded state
-
to reveal or be revealed
the truth unfolds
-
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
-
have unfoldedperfect
-
has unfoldedperfect
-
am unfoldingprogressive
-
are unfoldingprogressive
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is unfoldingprogressive
-
have been unfoldingperfect progressive
-
has been unfoldingperfect progressive
Past
-
unfoldedsimple
-
had unfoldedperfect
-
was unfoldingprogressive
-
were unfoldingprogressive
-
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:
As new consumer habits unfold, Google is working on scaling ads within AI Overviews and AI Mode.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
It began to unfold decades ago, well before Francis Fukuyama proclaimed the “end of history.”
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global and a longtime chronicler of oil, said an energy crisis “registers instantaneously on the screen” while a food crisis “will unfold with the cycle of the seasons.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Our galaxy is expected to merge with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy billions of years from now, and observing other galactic mergers helps scientists understand how such an encounter could unfold.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
From my back pocket, I unfold the article.
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The firm, in a statement, said as the process unfolds, it “will continue serving clients with the dedication and excellence that have defined it since its founding and will remain committed to supporting its colleagues.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The movie’s narrative turns are so self-contained that you could know every beat of the film and still be flabbergasted by how it all unfolds.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
Although scientists have investigated viral self-assembly for decades, capturing the process as it unfolds has been a major challenge.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
It’s also true that each of those elements figures into what unfolds as Salton and Declonius battle it out, especially in the case of Salton, who has always envied his brother and longs for retribution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
A story that has to be memorised and spoken out loud is necessarily less complex than a novel that can be written down and unfolds over a greater length of time.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
BBC's Nada Tawfik was in Detroit, Michigan where the party spat unfolded.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Two flight attendants needed medical assistance after an alleged altercation that unfolded mid-flight and one was transported to a hospital for further evaluation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
The heated words and a battle over a cellphone unfolded Tuesday on the U.N.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
A similar story has unfolded across Nepal's western border in India's Uttarakhand state, where maximum tourism limits and environmental regulations have been bypassed in the name of economic growth, claims activist Anoop Nautiyal.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
She unfolded her crisp white napkin and placed it neatly across her lap.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Outside the perimeter fence, daily life bears little resemblance to the military activity unfolding inside.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Just as the organizers had hoped, the demonstration caught the attention of users on X and other social-media platforms, where some contrasted the relatively tame demonstration with the more chaotic protests unfolding in Europe.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Miranda and Leigh-Anne were blissfully unaware that next door, something much more boring but ultimately more consequential was unfolding.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
I met with Bloomberg CEO Vlad Kliatchko who explained the next step in the company’s unfolding AI strategy and why he believes it’s too early to think about driving ROI from those investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 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
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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.
