unbar
Americanverb (used with object)
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unbars,
present (3rd person singular)
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unbarred,
past participle, past
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unbarring
present participle
verb
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to take away a bar or bars from
-
to unfasten bars, locks, etc, from (a door); open
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unbarsimple
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unbarssimple
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have unbarredperfect
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has unbarredperfect
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am unbarringprogressive
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are unbarringprogressive
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is unbarringprogressive
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have been unbarringperfect progressive
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has been unbarringperfect progressive
Past
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unbarredsimple
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had unbarredperfect
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was unbarringprogressive
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were unbarringprogressive
-
had been unbarringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unbar
First recorded in 1300–50, unbar is from the Middle English word unbarren. See un- 2, bar 1
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:
Claudius has made himself a monarch again, standing at the head of a shrieking horde of desperate peasantry who believe he can unbar the door to that heavenly place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
It takes only a minute to cross the hall and unbar the front doors.
From The Main Chance by Meredith Nicholson
Teach me the path to that uncharted land; Discovery's keel hath never notched its strand, No passport may unbar its sealed frontier,— Too far for utmost sight, for touch too near.
From The Two Twilights by Henry A. (Henry Augustin) Beers
He didn’t look as if the task were an agreeable one and the lads placed themselves beside him as he advanced and with trembling hands tried to unbar the door.
From Dorothy's House Party by Evelyn Raymond
"The time is not yet up," returned Brian, beginning to unbar the door, and he laughed at the mocking voice.
From Nuala O'Malley by H. Bedford-Jones
The book’s final moments are breathless, if suspiciously flimsy—it isn’t until the very last sentence that Monk unbars “the great gate” and is freed.
From Slate ● Mar. 22, 2017
Will the sun forget to streak Eastern skies with amber ray, When the dusky shades to break He unbars the gates of day?
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
For as a gate of sorrow-land unbars The region of unfaltering delight, So may you gather from the fields of night That harvest of diviner thought, the stars.
From The Diwan of Abu'l-Ala by Henry Baerlein
When she hears that it is Mak she unbars the door, but when she sees what her husband brings she is afraid.
From English Literature for Boys and Girls by H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth) Marshall
At any hour of the day—I won't speak positively about the night—women may be seen at the unbars filling large earthenware jugs, coming and going, going and coming.
From Around the World on a Bicycle - Volume II From Teheran To Yokohama by Thomas Stevens
As a result, its classification was changed from unbarred spiral galaxy to barred spiral galaxy.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2022
Eventually, we decided that my father would not recover, and so, instead of continuing to try to stave off death, we unbarred the door and began to wait.
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 5, 2017
In both barred and unbarred spiral galaxies, we observe a range of different shapes.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
Handel’s vocal writing can be fiercely demanding, nowhere more so than in the Angel’s opening aria, “Be unbarred, ye gates of Avernus,” in which Liv Redpath, a soprano, displayed lovely tone and fine agility.
From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2014
Ahead of her, the heavy wooden doors to the palace were closed, but a smaller door set within them was unbarred, and she went to the door and pushed it open.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Knees, shoulders, elbows, buttocks and teeth collide with one another, fleetingly unbarring a glimpse into deeper space before they slide closed again.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2011
It sounded like the cry of a child, and Offero hastily rose up and, unbarring the door, looked out.
From In God's Garden Stories of the Saints for Little Children by Amy Steedman
He knocked, however, and rang boldly; and after a brief delay, and considerable noise of unbolting and unbarring, was admitted.
From Sir Brook Fossbrooke, Volume I. by Charles James Lever
He had flattered himself that she was slowly unbarring the gates.
From The Furnace by Dame Rose Macaulay
At last, he remained somewhat longer at the gate, and bent his head more cautiously to hear; then, noiselessly unbarring and unlocking the door, he leaned out.
From The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever
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