as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
authorities eventually unfettered the menagerie of wild animals that had been kept illegally as pets
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Recent Examples of unfetter
As spring ends, maple trees begin to unfetter winged seeds that flutter and swirl from branches to land gently on the ground.
—
Nikk Ogasa, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2021
His long run in office, however, delivered only partial victories on his two primary ambitions: to unfetter Japan’s military after decades of postwar pacifism and to jump-start and overhaul its economy through a program known as Abenomics.
—New York Times, 8 July 2022
The Safdies are pointedly effective in capturing the way in which a chaotic city’s overall rhythm goes on unfettered even as a character experiences a horrific disruption or glitch in one small part of it.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2019
By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019
By manufacturing satellite components in space, the company hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 29 July 2019
Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived.
—Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
Nikk Ogasa, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2021
His long run in office, however, delivered only partial victories on his two primary ambitions: to unfetter Japan’s military after decades of postwar pacifism and to jump-start and overhaul its economy through a program known as Abenomics.
—New York Times, 8 July 2022
The Safdies are pointedly effective in capturing the way in which a chaotic city’s overall rhythm goes on unfettered even as a character experiences a horrific disruption or glitch in one small part of it.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2019
By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019
By manufacturing satellite components in space, the company hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 29 July 2019
Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived.
—Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfetter
Verb
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The husband eventually managed to free himself of his bindings, and when McIsaac returned to the living room, the husband fought back and subdued him long enough to allow the rest of the family to escape and seek help, prosecutors said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2025
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With drones, sniffer dogs and heavy machinery, rescue operators have been working around the clock to free dozens of people thought to be trapped inside.—
Jan Camenzind Broomby,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The policies announced on Liberation Day seem unlikely to liberate investors and business folk from their fears.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2025
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Avoiding the dilemma of either yielding to Russian nuclear threats and allowing the loss of NATO territory or risking nuclear escalation in attempting to liberate NATO territory would require conventional defenses capable of halting a Russian incursion at the border.—
Mark S. Bell,
Foreign Affairs,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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McFarland previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to the disastrous first Fyre Festival and was released from prison in 2022 after serving less than four years.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
4 Apr. 2025
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Despite reuniting for live performances in recent years, Rage Against the Machine hasn’t released any original studio material since 2000’s Renegades.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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An 82-year-old Louisiana man was rescued by authorities after spending multiple hours stuck in thick mud while fishing.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Two members of Landi’s crew survived by clinging onto pieces of wood until a passing vessel rescued them the next day.—
Ian Urbina,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That stance loosened about 15 years ago, primarily in baseball.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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Steam loosens any dirt on the floor, even working up sticky residue.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At the age of 14, Culkin emancipated himself from his parents.—
Janelle Ash,
Fox News,
14 Mar. 2025
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The mother-daughter duo went their separate ways when Drew was emancipated at the age of 14.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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