uncork
Americanverb (used with object)
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to draw the cork from.
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Informal. to release or unveil; unleash.
to uncork one's pent-up emotions.
verb
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to draw the cork from (a bottle, etc)
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to release or unleash (emotions, etc)
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
uncorksimple
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uncorkssimple
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have uncorkedperfect
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has uncorkedperfect
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am uncorkingprogressive
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are uncorkingprogressive
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is uncorkingprogressive
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have been uncorkingperfect progressive
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has been uncorkingperfect progressive
Past
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uncorkedsimple
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had uncorkedperfect
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was uncorkingprogressive
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were uncorkingprogressive
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had been uncorkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of uncork
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:
They aim to show Nuton’s bioleaching technology works at scale and can be deployed throughout the Americas to uncork the low-grade sulfide ores left in old mines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025
Boutique wineries and cideries are ready to uncork their latest vintages.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023
Some were head-scratching like James turning a sure-fire two points in transition into a turnover as he fumbled the ball away while trying to uncork a two-handed reverse dunk.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2023
Expanding Medicaid would uncork a spigot of about $1.35 billion a year in federal funds to hospitals and health care providers, according to a 2021 report by the office of the state economist.
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
But even then, as he swerved back up onto the porch, Mercedes usually managed to uncork a half-dozen infinitely annoying gravel bits that plinked around his feet before he attained her son’s door.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
The composer struts in during a rehearsal, uncorks an embarrassingly stagey speech about his life and views, and forbids Guthrie from putting his modern spin on the oratorio.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
There are heavy doses of Kevin Durant in how Wembanyama sets up and uncorks his pure jump shots, but he’s far taller and far longer than the Brooklyn Nets superstar.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 5, 2022
Kushner uncorks a tale that spans more than half a century and moves as quickly as Reno rides her motorcycle across the salt flats of Utah, briefly becoming the fastest woman in the world.
From New York Times ● Jun. 22, 2022
But that’s when White uncorks the remarkable 24.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 14, 2021
Alan sets down a garbage bag full of Amber and Clover’s old baby clothes, uncorks a bottle of cold champagne.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Which is precisely what they uncorked to open the scoring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Andy Pages froze on a 100.8 mph fastball, one of 21 triple-digit pitches Misiorowski uncorked from his wiry 6-foot-7, 197-pound frame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2025
They claim to share a sisterhood but whose dissimilar economic and social statuses rocket to the surface like freshly uncorked champagne bubbles.
From Salon ● Feb. 16, 2025
The idea is simple: As the weight on the volcanoes is lifted, the gases trapped in magma are released like the fizz in an uncorked bottle of champagne, driving eruptions.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 2, 2024
As she whirled to look at him, he uncorked the top of the milk bottle.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
By the end, he was holding his head high at Liu’s gold medal romp, and uncorking his back flip in the Games-ending gala.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
Then again, at this point in 2023, much of the talk surrounding the Chargers was how Herbert was going to be uncorking bombs all over the place under then-offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2024
Last year, he threw a memorable first pitch before a Guardians games, uncorking a wild toss and that bounced to the backstop.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 4, 2024
Generally, the person who invited you to the party is responsible for connecting unfamiliar folks, but sometimes your host is uncorking bottles and shooing away mynah birds.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2023
“Yes, I expect so,” said Dumbledore, withdrawing a fresh bottle of silver memories from inside his robes and uncorking it with a prod of his wand.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
