unfreeze

verb

un·​freeze ˌən-ˈfrēz How to pronounce unfreeze (audio)
unfroze ˌən-ˈfrōz How to pronounce unfreeze (audio) ; unfrozen ˌən-ˈfrō-zᵊn How to pronounce unfreeze (audio) ; unfreezing
Synonyms of unfreezenext

transitive verb

1
: to cause to thaw
2
: to remove from a freeze
unfreeze wages
3
: to cause to start working properly again
helped me unfreeze my computer

intransitive verb

: to start working properly again
had to wait for my computer to unfreeze

Examples of unfreeze in a Sentence

We can't wait until the ground unfreezes so we can start gardening. The warm weather unfroze the lake. The Justice Department agreed to unfreeze the company's assets. I had to wait for my computer to unfreeze before I could read my e-mail. He helped me to unfreeze my computer.
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.
But citing national security interests, President Clinton would not unfreeze Cuban assets to pay the judgment - at least not until Congress passed a law last fall to take care of terrorist victims’ families. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026 Only, Homelander unfreezes his dad, Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), and sends him after Butcher, withholding information about the super-virus. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 To restore wage mobility and top-line household revenue, organizations need to unfreeze hiring and transition their AI strategies from pure human substitution to human augmentation. Katica Roy, Fortune, 2 May 2026 The board didn’t unfreeze that position until earlier this month. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfreeze

Word History

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfreeze was in 1584

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Cite this Entry

“Unfreeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfreeze. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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