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
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
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
By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019
Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived.
—Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
New York Times, 8 July 2022
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
By manufacturing satellite components in space, Made In Space hopes to unfetter some of those launch constraints.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Aug. 2019
Unfettered by worries about his relationship, Caldwell thrived.
—Jason Blevins, The Denver Post, 18 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfetter
Verb
-
The second season finale saw Deborah fire Ava to free her up to be her own person and chase her career, only for the two to boomerang back together.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
Orbit Robotics says its mission isn't to replace astronauts but to free them.—
Omar Kardoudi
May 29,
New Atlas,
29 May 2026
Verb
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After more than four years, Russia’s full-scale invasion has morphed into a grinding war of attrition where soldiers are being killed en masse, financial losses are piling up and Kyiv has started to liberate more land than Moscow has seized.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Electrons liberated by the Krebs cycle then pass through another set of reactions that consume oxygen.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
An estimate from the British spy agency GCHQ released Wednesday put the total Russian death toll at 500,000, citing new information.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has released international dining guides since 2002.—
Angela Osorio,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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First responders arrived at the scene to try and rescue him, but he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff's office.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
The five people who were rescued were in the fifth chamber.—
Jintamas Saksornchai,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Noina uses her elbows, knees and feet to administer a satisfyingly joint-loosening Thai massage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Travel costs are climbing, remote work has loosened the rules on where and how long people can roam, and a growing share of travelers are deciding that a stranger’s spare bedroom — or entire home — beats another $400-a-night hotel.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The long shadow of the occupation Twenty-three years after George Bush and Tony Blair resolved that Iraqis were to be emancipated, the country remains captive to a masquerade of power.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
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When Winter was 14 years old, she was placed in the care of her older sister and three years later, she was legally emancipated.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfetter. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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