unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak How to pronounce unpack (audio)
unpacked; unpacking; unpacks

transitive verb

1
a
: to remove the contents of
unpack a suitcase
b
: unburden, reveal
must … unpack my heart with wordsWilliam 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

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
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.
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. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 27 May 2025 This conversation unpacks how shows and films like The Chosen, House of David, and Divorce in the Black are shifting the narrative around spiritually rooted storytelling and how platforms like Amazon are amplifying these narratives for the masses. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025 Problem unpacks a tripartite dilemma: Wallen got dumped. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 20 May 2025 The show’s main blunder is that instead of unpacking the various angles of the mob bosses’ corruption, random side stories start popping up. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unpack

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpack was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unpack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpack. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

unpack

verb
un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak How to pronounce unpack (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to separate and remove things packed
got home and unpacked
2
: to open and remove the contents of
unpack a trunk

More from Merriam-Webster on unpack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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