unseal

American  

[uhn-seel] / ʌnˈsil /

verb (used with object)

1. to break or remove the seal of; open, as something sealed or firmly closed.

   to unseal a letter; to unseal a tomb.

2. to free from constraint, as a person's thought, speech, or behavior.

   Their friendship unsealed her vivacity.

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unseal British  

/ ʌnˈsiːl /

verb

1. to remove or break the seal of

2. to reveal or free (something concealed or closed as if sealed)

   to unseal one's lips

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Other Word Forms

• unsealable adjective

Etymology

Origin of unseal

1375–1425; late Middle English unselen; un- ², seal ¹

Example Sentences

It also seeks to unseal the FBI's affidavit used to obtain the warrant from a federal magistrate judge.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Last week, a judge in Florida granted the DOJ’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from an earlier abandoned investigation into Epstein.

From Salon • Dec. 11, 2025

Berman must approve requests to unseal documents from the case.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

In order to unseal the Epstein documents, Congress was waiting for one last signature to put the matter to a vote.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

But for the rest, I unseal a test-strip kit.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera