unload

verb

un·​load ˌən-ˈlōd 

unloaded; unloading; unloads

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to take off : deliver

(2)

: to take the cargo from

unload the truck

b

: to give outlet to : pour forth

unloaded her bitter feelings

2

: to relieve of something burdensome, unwanted, or oppressive

unloaded the pack animals

unloaded himself to his friend

3

: to draw the charge from

unloaded the gun

4

: to sell or dispose of especially in large quantities : dump

5

: to hit or propel with a great release of power

unloaded his ninth homer

intransitive verb

1

: to perform the act of unloading

2

: to release or deliver something especially with power

unloaded on the ball

3

: to give forth a usually sudden angry outburst

the coach unloaded on his players

unloader noun

Synonyms

• disburden
• discharge
• disencumber
• off-load
• unburden
• unlade
• unpack

Examples of unload in a Sentence

It took four hours to unload the truck.

Could you help me unload the car?

After the ship docked, they unloaded its cargo.

I have to unload the groceries.

Most ships unload at another dock now.

The train made several stops to unload passengers.

Rumor has it that the manager wants to unload him. Maybe he'll be traded to another team.

She unloaded a huge amount of stock when prices fell.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet last week half a million metric tons of food aid sat waiting in U.S. ports with no workers able to unload or deliver it, complicating Secretary of State Marco Rubio's ability to unfreeze a few projects, like feeding the starving in Sudan, and giving medication to AIDS patients. —CBS News, 9 Feb. 2025

Phoenix acquired first-round picks in the Utah deal to attach to a potential deal to unload a player. —Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

Older kids can help out by unloading the dishwasher from the night before or setting out prepped fruits or making toast. —Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2025

Detectives determined that the owner of the delivery van – identified as Raymond Johnson of Downey, Calif. – found a man and a woman unloading packages from his vehicle and confronted them, Berkeley police Officer Jessica Perry said in an interview. —Jason Green, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Kids Definition

unload

verb

un·​load ˌən-ˈlōd 

ˈən-

1

a

: to take away or off : remove

unload cargo from a hold

b

: to take a load from

unload a ship

also : to rid or set free : unburden

unload your mind of worries

2

: to get rid of or be freed of a load or burden

the ship is unloading now

3

: to sell in large quantities : dump

unload surplus goods