unlock
Americanverb (used with object)
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unlocks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unlocked,
past participle, past
-
unlocking
present participle
-
to undo the lock of (a door, chest, etc.), especially with a key.
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to open or release by or as if by undoing a lock.
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to open (anything firmly closed or joined).
to unlock the jaws.
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to lay open; disclose.
to unlock the secrets of one's heart.
verb (used without object)
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unlocks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unlocked,
past participle, past
-
unlocking
present participle
verb
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(tr) to unfasten (a lock, door, etc)
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(tr) to open, release, or let loose
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(tr) to disclose or provide the key to
unlock a puzzle
-
(intr) to become unlocked
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unlocksimple
-
unlockssimple
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have unlockedperfect
-
has unlockedperfect
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am unlockingprogressive
-
are unlockingprogressive
-
is unlockingprogressive
-
have been unlockingperfect progressive
-
has been unlockingperfect progressive
Past
-
unlockedsimple
-
had unlockedperfect
-
was unlockingprogressive
-
were unlockingprogressive
-
had been unlockingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unlock
Explanation
When you unlock something, you turn a key or use a code in order to open it. You have to unlock your locker before you can get the books you need for English class. You might unlock your front door by turning a bolt or unlock a hotel room door by sliding a card into a reader. Either way, something was secured with a lock and now you've opened it. This verb is also used for smart phones: "Once you unlock the screen, you can see that photo I sent." Unlock is formed by adding the prefix un-, "reverse," to lock, "fasten or secure."
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:
Although some investors are doubtful about Apple Intelligence and AI-powered Siri, successful execution of those features “could extend the iPhone cycle, drive upgrades and unlock new monetization opportunities,” Daryanani said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Some AI health systems are powerful enough to assist humans, but most still lack the critical context needed to unlock more tailored capabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The breakthrough has been labelled a "very significant turning point" in science that could unlock a new era for treating disease.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Authorities are trying unlock the mystery of a Downey security guard accused of weapons violations after he twice visited the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes in advance of this week’s presidential visit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
My hands are shaking so hard I can hardly press the unlock button.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
“We are already present on all the centralized and decentralized exchanges. Broker dealer unlocks new opportunities.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
More shares will become eligible to trade in August and September, with additional releases set to continue through December in one of the largest post-IPO share unlocks in U.S. market history.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Private marks remain elevated, and Roper Technologies will continue to lean into share repurchases over platform acquisitions; however, management wants to leave enough dry powder for when the market for mergers-and-acquisitions unlocks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
“We’re just excited for the amount of creativity that it unlocks, and for our audience to discover them in the most organic way.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
He unlocks the door, takes off his shoes, puts them on the plastic runner that his father must have placed there to protect the plush off- white wall-to-wall carpeting.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
So far, unlocked insider shares haven’t weighed too heavily on the stock.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
The jury found no adequate welfare check was carried out when his cell was unlocked.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
The 912 million SpaceX shares that unlocked Thursday—holdings worth more than $100 billion—far exceed the previous supply of tradable stock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Quintero made a phone call before they slipped through an unlocked back door.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
She marched up to our porch and opened the screen door, then unlocked the front door, then swung it wide to allow Deputy Collins to walk in first, the rest of us behind him.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
So what is Bucky Brooks doing before sunrise, unlocking the gate outside the Granada Hills High football field?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Our friends over at the Slate podcast Slow Burn are good at taking events that we think are settled history, then unlocking a new understanding of those stories through interviews, archives, and fresh analysis.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
“The transaction strengthens Air Canada’s financial position by unlocking value from Aeroplan while retaining full operational control,” said John Di Bert, the airline’s chief financial officer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Higher prices “will encourage the development of new supply, while unlocking new opportunities for our business,” Le Peuch said during the call.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The higher your rank, the more special privileges you earn, like unlocking secret pages and online games and puzzles.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
