unfolded; unfolding; unfolds
1
2
: to open to the view : reveal
especially
: to make clear by gradual disclosure and often by recital
unfolded his story to me
3
: to open out gradually to the view or understanding : become known
a panorama unfolds before their eyes
Examples of unfold in a Sentence
The couch unfolds to form a bed.
We'll have more news as events unfold.
We watched the drama unfold on live television.
As the story unfolds, we learn that the boy became an orphan when he was one year old.
Recent Examples on the Web
Their characters also had a romantic history and a will-they-won't-they dynamic that unfolded amid the ER's chaos.
—
Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Lém as the Tet Offensive unfolded.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
One high-profile shooting unfolded in Harvey when an August house party turned deadly, leaving seven people injured and one man dead.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
His lawyers have asked the judge to hold an evidentiary hearing that could unfold like the dayslong hearing held last month in Mangione’s state case, where prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office laid out details of how Mangione’s arrest unfolded.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfold
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.
Cite this Entry
“Unfold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfold. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
unfold
verb
un·fold
ˌən-ˈfōld 
1
a
: to spread or cause to spread or straighten out from a folded position or arrangement
unfolded the map
b
: unwrap
3
: develop sense 1a
as the story unfolds
4
: to open out or cause to open out gradually to the view or understanding
new technology unfolds before us
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share