Synonyms

unclog

American

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

verb (used with object)

to free of an obstruction or impediment.

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

verb (used without object)

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

Derived Forms

unclogger

noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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.

Speaking at the Urdd Eisteddfod on Anglesey on Wednesday, ap Iorwerth said it had been Plaid policy for "many, many years" that something needed to be done to "unclog that Brynglas bottleneck".

From BBC • May 28, 2026

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

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

These boosts are meant to unclog the express toll lanes by deterring some users, and to pay for a small portion of freeway widenings.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 29, 2024

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

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

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