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unplug

American  
[uhn-pluhg] / ʌnˈplʌg /

verb (used with object)

  • unplugs,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • unplugged,
    past participle,  past
  • unplugging
    present participle
  1. to remove a plug or stopper from.

  2. to free of an obstruction; unclog.

    a pill to unplug clogged arteries.

  3. to disconnect (an appliance, a telephone, etc.) by removing its plug from an outlet.

    to unplug a toaster.

  4. to remove (an electric plug with its cord) from an outlet.


verb (used without object)

  • unplugs,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • unplugged,
    past participle,  past
  • unplugging
    present participle
  1. to become unplugged.

  2. to refrain from using digital or electronic devices for a period of time.

    It's a great place to relax and unplug.

unplug British  
/ ʌnˈplʌɡ /

verb

  1. to disconnect (an electrical appliance) by taking the plug out of the socket

  2. to remove a plug or obstruction from

"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

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of unplug

First recorded in 1765–75; un- 2 + plug

Vocabulary lists containing unplug

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:

"You can unplug from the Bitcoin network any time but signing a GPU colocation lease for 10 or 20 years means steady revenue and a commitment to keep the infrastructure up for the tenants."

From BBC Aug. 25, 2026

In response, many readers wrote about their own efforts to disconnect and unplug, and the learnings that came from making those steps.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 13, 2026

"We always deploy models and systems in environments where we can unplug them," he added.

From Barron's May 28, 2026

While the timing isn’t ideal for my new Gi experiment, I plan to unplug without abandoning Dr. Becky.

From Slate May 10, 2026

I don’t know why we didn’t just unplug the phone.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Before S.G.V. takes a shower, Vargas unplugs her IV tubes, flushes them with saline and tapes a plastic sheet over her chest to keep water from getting in and infecting the area.

From Los Angeles Times May 27, 2025

One of the friends unplugs her iPhone charger from the wall.

From Washington Post Feb. 15, 2023

If someone unplugs the hub, that triggers an automated phone call alerting the owner.

From BBC Feb. 6, 2023

But are there consequences if everyone unplugs from the system?

From Slate Mar. 27, 2022

She unplugs it and rolls the chair closer to the bed, handing the laptop over to me.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

She claimed she was off work and home alone—that she had unplugged her phone and gone to bed.

From Slate Apr. 6, 2026

We were unplugged by necessity, by force majeure, by decree of Xcel Energy Inc., and compelled to set aside our screens.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 25, 2025

Worse, it hasn’t occurred to him to think past the triumph of his product launch, that his Creature can’t be readily unplugged.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 16, 2025

And it seems that for most people, being unplugged and out in the world would be a dealbreaker.

From Salon Jul. 1, 2025

In the absence of the Batys and Pris he found himself fading out, becoming strangely like the inert television set which he had just unplugged.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

But beyond the material hardships, many describe a similar feeling: the impossibility of unplugging from their problems.

From Barron's Aug. 4, 2026

But if unplugging promises greater focus, stronger families and richer communities, why has it proved so difficult?

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 16, 2026

Abandoning a cult is relatively easy compared to unplugging from a hive; although deprogramming can be an arduous process, a hive mind hollows out everything but our skins.

From Salon Dec. 29, 2025

Our quarterly earnings aren’t showing any great unplugging.

From MarketWatch Oct. 17, 2025

Expecting candy and having none, the boys took turns unplugging the radio.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

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