as in to free
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
activists for animal rights who would like to unchain zoo animals and return them to the wild
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Recent Examples of unchain
The nationwide standalone 5G that the carrier announced Wednesday essentially unchains that service from 4G LTE, allowing devices to connect to the network without first requiring a setup via AT&T’s older and slower network.
—
PC Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
When Henson refused to unchain herself from the fence, California Highway Patrol arrested her.
—
Kate Talerico,
The Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2024
Max eventually unchains himself and helps Furiosa in her quest to free the cult leader's wives, gaining mutual respect along the way.
—
Ew Staff,
EW.com,
3 July 2024
Van Gogh had unchained it from its age-old funereal associations and reinvented it as a tour de force of emotional connection and nurturance.
—
Deborah Solomon,
New York Times,
11 May 2023
On Wednesday, the rescuers carefully lifted the shed enough to reach Bubbles and unchain the dog.
—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE.com,
3 Sep. 2021
The feds give an official exemption to Nuro, a company working on small self-driving cars—a sign that regulators are willing to unchain autonomous vehicles from the old rules.
—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired,
9 Feb. 2020
Police say the three protesters had the ability to unchain themselves from the equipment but refused.
—
USA TODAY,
13 Sep. 2019
PC Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
When Henson refused to unchain herself from the fence, California Highway Patrol arrested her.
—
Kate Talerico,
The Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2024
Max eventually unchains himself and helps Furiosa in her quest to free the cult leader's wives, gaining mutual respect along the way.
—
Ew Staff,
EW.com,
3 July 2024
Van Gogh had unchained it from its age-old funereal associations and reinvented it as a tour de force of emotional connection and nurturance.
—
Deborah Solomon,
New York Times,
11 May 2023
On Wednesday, the rescuers carefully lifted the shed enough to reach Bubbles and unchain the dog.
—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE.com,
3 Sep. 2021
The feds give an official exemption to Nuro, a company working on small self-driving cars—a sign that regulators are willing to unchain autonomous vehicles from the old rules.
—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired,
9 Feb. 2020
Police say the three protesters had the ability to unchain themselves from the equipment but refused.
—
USA TODAY,
13 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unchain
Verb
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Crews stabilized the pickup before performing a technical extrication to free the driver.
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The flywheel does not need to be replaced every 3-5 years and can be installed outdoors, freeing up more space and cash for compute.
Verb
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When the United States invaded the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, Twain naively imagined that the country would be liberated and turned into a republic.
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Automation that was meant to liberate becomes a maze of fragile scripts and blame-shifting alerts.
Verb
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Linda Parisi, Blake Rakela’s defense attorney, has asked the court to set bail and allow her client to be released while the criminal case proceeds.
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As of Monday, the father was treated and released from a hospital, where his 11-year-old remained in stable condition.
Verb
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Analysts credit the 2011 purchase of NBCUniversal as a huge success; Comcast rescued a company that was on the ropes due to General Electric’s under-investment.
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The infant, who is 9 months old, was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told Fox News Digital.
Verb
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Energy-saving tips, according to DTE DTE says high temperatures can result in a higher energy bill.
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Scheffler missed the fairway, landing his drive on a hill along the right side, while Hovland’s was clean, save for some casual water.
Verb
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Matching trousers stayed narrow through the hips before loosening down the leg into a slight flare.
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As summer arrives, snow begins melting, ice hardens and rocks loosen, increasing the risk of falls and rockfall.
Verb
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Finally, David ends the episode with a discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello and how ancient plays can emancipate readers from some of their modern prejudices.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Unchain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unchain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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