unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

unpacked; unpacking; unpacks

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove the contents of

unpack a suitcase

b

: unburden, reveal

must … unpack my heart with words

—William Shakespeare

2

: to remove or undo from packing or a container

unpacked his gear

3

: to analyze the nature of by examining in detail : explicate

unpack a concept

4

: decompress sense 2

unpack a compressed file

intransitive verb

: to engage in unpacking a container

unpacker noun

Synonyms

• disburden
• discharge
• disencumber
• off-load
• unburden
• unlade
• unload

Examples of unpack in a Sentence

It's been a year since I moved here and I still haven't unpacked all of my books.

I unpacked my suitcase as soon as I arrived home.

By the time we got to the hotel, I was too tired to unpack.

She's good at unpacking complex concepts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Severance stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower unpack that massive episode 4 Helly twist Severance creator Dan Erickson tells Entertainment Weekly that the watermelon Irving head was inspired by his own experiences being served watermelon at corporate functions. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 18 Feb. 2025

Editor’s Note: Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025

First, this coverlet was flawless upon unpacking and fit very well, even on a thick mattress. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025

For some reason, the elevated suitcase encourages me to unpack way more than one that’s shoved in the corner of my room. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

ˈən-

1

: to separate and remove things packed

got home and unpacked

2

: to open and remove the contents of

unpack a trunk