unlocked
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something that's unlocked isn't latched or secured. You can open an unlocked door and walk right through it. If your front door isn't locked, it's unlocked. Unless you lock it with a key or turn a bolt in the latch, it's going to stay unlocked. A more modern version of this adjective is used for mobile phones, and it means "able to operate on any carrier's network," rather than one specific network. So your unlocked smart phone will work with whichever phone company you choose.
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.
"But the house was locked from the outside. He called a neighbour who came and unlocked the door and everyone saw my condition and began to cry."
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
Reading interested me more and unlocked my imagination.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
But the European Union unlocked one potential cheat code by promising voluntary guidelines to manage video games' "end of life".
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
That could add to the stock’s first-day pop, though some investors might take profits as more shares get unlocked and become available, Haworth said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 14, 2026
Some went up the stoops of the gray houses, pulled out keys, unlocked doors and went in.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
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.
