unfold

verb

un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld 

unfolded; unfolding; unfolds

transitive verb

1

a

: to open the folds of : spread or straighten out : expand

unfolded the map

b

: to remove (something, such as a package) from the folds : unwrap

2

: to open to the view : reveal

especially : to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital

intransitive verb

1

a

: to open from a folded state : open out : expand

b

: blossom

2

: develop, evolve

as the story unfolds

3

: to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known

a panorama unfolds before their eyes

unfoldment

ˌən-ˈfōl(d)-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• expand
• extend
• open
• unfurl

Examples of unfold in a Sentence

The couch unfolds to form a bed.

We'll have more news as events unfold.

We watched the drama unfold on live television.

As the story unfolds, we learn that the boy became an orphan when he was one year old.

Recent Examples on the Web

The film, which largely unfolds on Christmas Eve, has a wonderful sense of the dying light of a late December day, the transition from a shade of damp gray to the inky black of night, and, even better, an actual sense of a particular American place. —Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025

The suspension of Kimmel's show feeds into those larger conversations while unfolding alongside the criminal investigation into Kirk's death. —Robert Birsel gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025

But for those who simply can’t wait to watch old-era and new-era contestants battling it out for ultimate bragging rights, Probst notes that the Survivor 50 viewing experience actually begins with what is about to unfold on Survivor 49. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025

Also featured was a foldable police dog kennel that can be quickly unfolded into a sturdy structure within minutes, supporting up to 200 kilograms and facilitating rapid deployment of mobile command units. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for unfold

• ahold
• behold
• billfold
• blindfold
• cajoled
• consoled
• controlled
• cotswold
• eightfold
• enfold
• enrolled
• extolled

Kids Definition

unfold

verb

un·​fold ˌən-ˈfōld 

1

a

: to spread or cause to spread or straighten out from a folded position or arrangement

unfolded the map

b

: unwrap

2

: bloom entry 2 sense 1

3

: develop sense 1a

as the story unfolds

4

: to open out or cause to open out gradually to the view or understanding

new technology unfolds before us