unbar
Americanverb (used with object)
-
unbars,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unbarred,
past participle, past
-
unbarring
present participle
verb
-
to take away a bar or bars from
-
to unfasten bars, locks, etc, from (a door); open
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
unbarsimple
-
unbarssimple
-
have unbarredperfect
-
has unbarredperfect
-
am unbarringprogressive
-
are unbarringprogressive
-
is unbarringprogressive
-
have been unbarringperfect progressive
-
has been unbarringperfect progressive
Past
-
unbarredsimple
-
had unbarredperfect
-
was unbarringprogressive
-
were unbarringprogressive
-
had been unbarringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unbar
First recorded in 1300–50, unbar is from the Middle English word unbarren. See un- 2, bar 1
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:
Claudius has made himself a monarch again, standing at the head of a shrieking horde of desperate peasantry who believe he can unbar the door to that heavenly place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
"I'll have to jump over and unbar it," said Paul.
From Three Young Ranchmen or, Daring Adventures in the Great West by Ralph Bonehill
"It is I, Pierre," cried he; "come down and unbar the door!"
From Sir Jasper Carew His Life and Experience by Charles James Lever
Some sat in a corner, whispering their wishes that Archer would unbar the doors and give up.
From The Parent's Assistant Stories for Children by Maria Edgeworth
Then I unbar the doors; my paths lead out The exodus of nations; I disperse Men to all shores that front the hoary main.
From Christopher Columbus and His Monument Columbia being a concordance of choice tributes to the great Genoese, his grand discovery, and his greatness of mind and purpose by J. M. (John Marcus) Dickey
The book’s final moments are breathless, if suspiciously flimsy—it isn’t until the very last sentence that Monk unbars “the great gate” and is freed.
From Slate ● Mar. 22, 2017
Will the sun forget to streak Eastern skies with amber ray, When the dusky shades to break He unbars the gates of day?
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Death that unbars Unto the ready soul the Gate of Heaven, Claiming no pang or groan from failing flesh, Doth angel-service.
From Man of Uz, and Other Poems by Lydia Howard Sigourney
At any hour of the day—I won't speak positively about the night—women may be seen at the unbars filling large earthenware jugs, coming and going, going and coming.
From Around the World on a Bicycle - Volume II From Teheran To Yokohama by Thomas Stevens
But when the night-wind wakes and thrills The shadows that the night unbars, Their music fills the dreamy hills, And folds the friendly stars.
From The Home Book of Verse — Volume 2 by Burton Egbert Stevenson
As a result, its classification was changed from unbarred spiral galaxy to barred spiral galaxy.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2022
Eventually, we decided that my father would not recover, and so, instead of continuing to try to stave off death, we unbarred the door and began to wait.
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 5, 2017
In both barred and unbarred spiral galaxies, we observe a range of different shapes.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
Handel’s vocal writing can be fiercely demanding, nowhere more so than in the Angel’s opening aria, “Be unbarred, ye gates of Avernus,” in which Liv Redpath, a soprano, displayed lovely tone and fine agility.
From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2014
Ahead of her, the heavy wooden doors to the palace were closed, but a smaller door set within them was unbarred, and she went to the door and pushed it open.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Knees, shoulders, elbows, buttocks and teeth collide with one another, fleetingly unbarring a glimpse into deeper space before they slide closed again.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2011
She had come to the first barn now, and, unbarring the door, went in.
From The Good Comrade by Anna Whelan Betts
He had flattered himself that she was slowly unbarring the gates.
From The Furnace by Dame Rose Macaulay
Aunt Marcia was unbarring the shutters and fastening the inner jalousies so as to look out unseen.
From The Flower of the Chapdelaines by F. C. (Frederick Coffay) Yohn
A few hurried words in Iroquois were the reply, and Susan congratulated herself on having spoken before unbarring the door.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851 by Various
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.
