unclog

American  

[uhn-klog, -klawg] / ʌnˈklɒg, -ˈklɔg /

verb (used with object)

unclogged, unclogging

1. to free of an obstruction or impediment.

   to unclog a drain; to unclog rush-hour traffic.

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verb (used without object)

unclogged, unclogging

1. to become unclogged.

   I can't wash the dishes until the drain unclogs.

unclog British  

/ ʌnˈklɒɡ /

verb

1. (tr) to remove an obstruction from (a drain, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• unclogger noun

Etymology

Origin of unclog

First recorded in 1600–10; un- ² + clog

Explanation

When you clear a blockage or obstacle, you unclog. If water's not going down the drain in your sink, you need to unclog it — or hire a plumber. To unclog is to remove a clog, or physical obstruction. A huge part of a plumber's job is to unclog drains, removing hair or whatever else has accumulated there. Some people recommend that you unclog the pores on your face of dirt by vigorous cleaning, to avoid getting pimples. You might also notice city planners advocating for new traffic signals or roundabouts in order to unclog the streets.

Example Sentences

While I can’t come to your home to unclog your pipes, I can offer you help with your plumbing dilemmas online.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 6, 2023

A University at Buffalo-led research team has developed molecules that could help unclog thick, sticky mucus from the lungs of people suffering from cystic fibrosis.

From Science Daily • Oct. 10, 2023

And in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn, workers waded through knee-high water as they tried to unclog a drain as cardboard and other debris floated by.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2023

But he said that his health has deteriorated so much that he no longer can work as a handyman, because common chemicals such as paint thinners or those used to unclog drains aggravate his condition.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2023

Within minutes, Miele was on a table in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, awaiting angioplasty to unclog his artery—a procedure that many cardiologists say has become the gold standard in heart attack treatment.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• clarify
• eliminate
• erase
• free
• open