unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

unpacked; unpacking; unpacks

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove the contents of

unpack a suitcase

b

: unburden, reveal

must … unpack my heart with words

—William Shakespeare

2

: to remove or undo from packing or a container

unpacked his gear

3

: to analyze the nature of by examining in detail : explicate

unpack a concept

4

: decompress sense 2

unpack a compressed file

intransitive verb

: to engage in unpacking a container

unpacker noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of unpack in a Sentence

It's been a year since I moved here and I still haven't unpacked all of my books.

I unpacked my suitcase as soon as I arrived home.

By the time we got to the hotel, I was too tired to unpack.

She's good at unpacking complex concepts.

Recent Examples on the Web

This presentation unpacks the successful three-year partnership between Smosh and Kiswe, highlighting why direct-to-consumer streaming should be a cornerstone of any creator's distribution strategy. —Ian Shepherd, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Blonde woman standing in the room while unpacking boxes. —Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025

Williams unpacked a thermos and served us a hot—and very sweet—drink made from black-currant syrup. —Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2025

The instructions guided us to put in the dryer for 10 minutes after unpacking, and this makes all the difference in fluffing it up! —Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for unpack

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

unpack

verb

un·​pack ˌən-ˈpak 

ˈən-

1

: to separate and remove things packed

got home and unpacked

2

: to open and remove the contents of

unpack a trunk