Meaning & use

unfurl

verb·Advanced

To unroll or spread something out, typically a flag, sail, or leaf, so that it is fully open.

See it in a sentence

The sailors unfurled the sails as soon as the ship left the harbor.

Volunteers unfurled a giant banner across the stadium before the game.

A note on using this word

Unfurl is often used figuratively too, describing something that gradually opens up or becomes visible, like a plot unfurling in a story.

Words with a similar meaning

unrollunfold

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

furlroll up

Make it your own

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