unclog

American

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

verb (used with object)

unclogged, unclogging

to free of an obstruction or impediment.

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

verb (used without object)

unclogged, unclogging

to become unclogged.

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

unclog British

/ ʌnˈklɒɡ /

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

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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.

No amount of interest-rate adjustment can refine undelivered oil, unclog ports, or conjure new productivity.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Newman’s Julia, whom we meet as she bicycles back to her women’s hostel in order to unclog a toilet, grew up in a SAZ, or “Semi-Autonomous Zone.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2023

Decked out in water-repellent gear, they sweep the concrete floors, unclog the toilets, spray blue sanitizer and blast gunk away with pressure washers.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 9, 2023

The AI also might be able to design nano-robots that enter the human body and steer through the blood stream to unclog arteries, diagnose illnesses or kill cancer cells.

From Science Daily • Oct. 3, 2023

“Oh, Celia, no. I don’t want to be a pest. You know he helped me unclog the guest toilet just yesterday,” Lou Ann says.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023