unfurl

verb

un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l How to pronounce unfurl (audio)
unfurled; unfurling; unfurls

transitive verb

: to release from a furled state

intransitive verb

: to open out from or as if from a furled state : unfold

Examples of unfurl in a Sentence

after the protestors had unfurled their banner, it stretched from one side of the visitors' gallery to the other
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jason filmed while Emma unfurled an oversized poster and secured it inside the case. Anna Russell, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2025 Black drapes were unfurled near the front doors hours after his death. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Apr. 2025 As the whiplash over Martinez’s employment and the churn in Johnson’s Board of Education unfurled, the mayor’s plans to find money for the CTU contract and pension payment, known as the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, lagged. Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025 Rows of spectators in Boston’s TD Garden, from the ice to the rafters, got to their feet in a standing ovation as American flags were unfurled throughout the crowd. Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unfurl

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfurl was in 1641

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Cite this Entry

“Unfurl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfurl. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

unfurl

verb
un·​furl ˌən-ˈfər(-ə)l How to pronounce unfurl (audio)
: to loose from a furled state : open or spread : unfold
unfurl sails
unfurl a flag

More from Merriam-Webster on unfurl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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