Synonyms

unglued

American

[uhn-glood] / ʌnˈglud /

adjective

separated or detached; not glued.

idioms

come unglued,
1. to become upset, disorganized, or confused; lose emotional control.
  
  to come unglued in an emergency.
2. to disintegrate or collapse; fall apart; break down.
  
  The negotiators tried to keep the fragile peace agreement from coming unglued.

unglued More Idioms

see under come apart at the seams.

Etymology

Origin of unglued

First recorded in 1685–95; unglued ( def. 1 ) un- ¹ + glued ( def. ); unglued ( def. 2 ) unglue + -ed ²

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.

When I heard Daisy say this, I all but came unglued.

From Literature

Otherwise, she was sure to come unglued and, as tired as she was, she’d probably never stop crying.

From Literature

One time, a few years ago, I just about came unglued in an arcade when I couldn’t get a pair of SpongeBob sunglasses in one of those claw games.

From Literature

The run defense ended up coming unglued, giving up over 300 yards in a rainy defeat.

From Los Angeles Times

Alas, the Dodgers’ bullpen did what it does best once more in the ninth, coming unglued at the worst possible moment.

From Los Angeles Times

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