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Synonyms

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

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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:

Natalie Pattillo makes the case that recess is an easy way for students—especially teenagers—to unplug from their devices, reset their minds, and build their relationships.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

"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

“The Wrong Girls” is the right comedy if you want to unplug your brain and laugh.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

On Thursday, two members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan bill requiring makers of the most powerful AI models to build in a kill switch -- a way to unplug a model outright.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Mom says she wants to unplug on vacation, so I can hang on to it.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

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

Ed Begley Jr. unplugs all of the appliances in George's kitchen, announcing, "I'm a real environmentalist; you say you are, but these incandescent bulbs in this giant-sized margarita machine tell a different story."

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2016

My father is so cheap when we go to bed he unplugs the clocks.

From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2015

We all sit there blinking as she unplugs and sits down.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

She insists that Amazon’s Alexa not just be powered down but unplugged.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

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

From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026

That makes us all time travelers of a sort, too, beacons of an increasingly distant era in which it was possible to be unplugged.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 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

I sure didn’t want her stopping by wondering if she’d done the right thing after all, and was everything unplugged and the stove turned off.

From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant

It’s a hard day for a lot of people, so unplugging and watching the sunset is always an option.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Ms Kane agrees: "By unplugging them you're removing them from the electrical supply completely which just protects against the risk of electrical faults or surges."

From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025

Drivers troubleshoot by repeatedly unplugging the connector, trying different payment methods or moving to a different charger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 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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