as in removal
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as in deposing
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne)
a movie studio chief who likes to boast that he can unmake any star in Hollywood if he wishes
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Recent Examples of unmaking
Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
The unmaking of the West has not been Trump’s doing alone.
—Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmaking
Noun
-
How activists reacted to the Pride flag removal at Stonewall.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Godwin is well known in the space, having assisted law enforcement nationwide leading to the removal of hundreds of criminals from the streets.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, the president has brought Russia’s Vladimir Putin out of isolation, stunned the world by deposing Venezuela’s leader and made invasion threats toward Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
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Some are counting on the United States deposing him, Saddam Hussein-style (or Salvador Allende-style, or Manuel Noriega-style).—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Born on June 25, 1972, in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi was the second son of Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya from 1969 until his overthrow and death in 2011.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Smith Act, passed in 1940, curbed speech that advocated the violent overthrow of the government.—
Stephanie A,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Seattle defense, which nicknamed itself the Dark Side, lived in quarterback Drake Maye’s face, sacking him six times and harassing him into three turnovers.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Seattle swarmed quarterback Drake Maye all game, sacking him six times and forcing three turnovers, leaving New England scoreless through the first three quarters.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The ever-present possibility of a no-confidence motion is supposed to keep a prime minister democratically accountable; impeachment is designed to be used in extreme cases.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
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Kelly has sponsored legislation calling for the impeachment of Kristy Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, and appeared to make her removal a precondition for supporting any DHS funding and reform package.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Placing seedlings inside a cardboard box with an open top can prevent pots from toppling over if there’s a strong breeze.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
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The development is the latest as Syria's new leaders have struggled since toppling former President Bashar Assad in December 2024 to assert their full authority over the country torn by nearly 14 years of civil war.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Johnson said before the demonstrations that students who participate in the protests will be marked absent from class, but would not be disciplined, such as with suspensions or expulsions.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
30 Jan. 2026
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On the first offense, a violator would be subject to immediate expulsion from the legislative chamber for the remainder of the day, a fine of not less than $500 but not exceeding $1,000, and referral to the chamber’s ethics committee.—
Barbara Hoberock,
Oklahoma Voice,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The latest rebuff of state overreach was the dismissal last week of the highly questionable felony case against respected Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly brought by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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The result is a drama of surprising universality, in which a well-to-do couple becomes the target of unjust dismissals and persecution for political wrongthink against the Turkish regime.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unmaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmaking. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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