Standard Lemma guide

unlock

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ʌnˈlɒk/
  • British, Scotland, Southern, Standard: /ʌnˈlɔk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-England: /ʊnˈlɒk/
  • US: /ʌnˈlɑk/
  • Australian: /ɐnˈlɔk/
  • New-Zealand: /ɐnˈlɒk/
  • New-Zealand: [ɐnˈlɔ̟k]
  • rhymes with -ɒk
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N L AA1 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of unlocking something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An initially hidden feature that is made available to reward the player for some achievement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unlockable

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I unlocked the door and walked in.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To obtain access to something; to meet the requirements of a security or protection system.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I unlocked the dictionary article so I could edit it.
  • This computer game is shareware, but you can pay for a code to unlock the full version.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To configure (a mobile phone) so that it is not bound to any particular carrier.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: communications, electrical-engineering, engineering, mobile-telephony, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, telecommunications, telephony

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To disclose or reveal previously unknown knowledge or potential.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The discovery of a clue unlocked the mystery.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To be or become unfastened or unrestrained.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To make available.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To undermine something that has control over a situation; to find a way to counter or oppose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

become unlocked

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The door unlocked from the inside

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: lock

Broader terms: disengage

11

verb

Meaning 11

open the lock of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • unlock the door

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: lock

Broader terms: open, open up

12

verb

Meaning 12

set free or release

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disengage, withdraw

History

Etymology

From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”).

Across languages

Translations

78 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: կողպածը բանալ (koġpacə banal) — to undo or open a lock
  • Asturian: despesllar — to undo or open a lock
  • Bulgarian: отключвам (otključvam) — to undo or open a lock
  • Chinese Mandarin: 開鎖 /开锁 (kāisuǒ) — to undo or open a lock
  • Chinese Mandarin: 解鎖 /解锁 (jiěsuǒ) — to undo or open a lock
  • Czech: odemknout — to undo or open a lock
  • Danish: låse op — to undo or open a lock
  • Dutch: openen — to undo or open a lock
  • Dutch: ontgrendelen — to undo or open a lock
  • Esperanto: malŝlosi — to undo or open a lock
  • Finnish: avata lukko — to undo or open a lock
  • Finnish: avata lukitus — to undo or open a lock
  • Finnish: avata — to undo or open a lock
  • French: déverrouiller — to undo or open a lock
  • West-Frisian: ûntskoattelje — to undo or open a lock
  • Galician: despechar — to undo or open a lock
  • Galician: abrir — to undo or open a lock
  • German: aufschließen — to undo or open a lock
  • German: entriegeln — to undo or open a lock
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐍃𐌻𐌿𐌺𐌰𐌽 (uslukan) — to undo or open a lock
  • Greek: ξεκλειδώνω (xekleidóno) — to undo or open a lock
  • Hebrew: פתח (patákh) — to undo or open a lock
  • Hindi: ताला खोलना (tālā kholnā) — to undo or open a lock
  • Hungarian: kinyit — to undo or open a lock
  • Icelandic: opna — to undo or open a lock
  • Icelandic: taka úr lás — to undo or open a lock
  • Ido: desklefagar — to undo or open a lock
  • Italian: aprire — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 開ける (akeru) — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 解錠する (kaijou suru) — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 解除する (kaijo suru) — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 錠をあける (jō o akeru) — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 鍵をあける (kagi o akeru) — to undo or open a lock
  • Japanese: 解く (toku) — to undo or open a lock
  • Khmer: ដោះសោ (dɑhsao) — to undo or open a lock
  • Lao: ໄຂກະແຈ (khai ka chǣ) — to undo or open a lock
  • Latvian: atbloķēt — to undo or open a lock
  • Lithuanian: atrakinti — to undo or open a lock
  • Macedonian: отклучува (otklučuva) — to undo or open a lock
  • Nepali: ताल्चा खोल्नु (tālcā kholnu) — to undo or open a lock
  • Old English: onlūcan — to undo or open a lock
  • Polish: otworzyć (kluczem) — to undo or open a lock
  • Portuguese: destrancar — to undo or open a lock
  • Romanian: descuia — to undo or open a lock
  • Russian: отпира́ть (otpirátʹ) — to undo or open a lock
  • Russian: отпере́ть (otperétʹ) — to undo or open a lock
  • Serbo-Croatian: otključavati — to undo or open a lock
  • Serbo-Croatian: otključati — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: abrir — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: abrir con llave — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desatrancar — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desbloquear — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: descandar — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desacerrojar — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desapestillar — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desenllavar — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desllavear — to undo or open a lock
  • Spanish: desllavir — to undo or open a lock
  • Swedish: låsa upp — to undo or open a lock
  • Swedish: upplåsa — to undo or open a lock
  • Thai: ไข (kǎi) — to undo or open a lock
  • Tibetan: སྒོ་ལྕགས་ཕྱེ (sgo lcags phye) — to undo or open a lock
  • Turkish: açmak — to undo or open a lock
  • Turkish: kilidini açmak — to undo or open a lock
  • Vietnamese: mở khóa — to undo or open a lock
  • Welsh: datgloi — to undo or open a lock
  • Dutch: ontgrendelen — give access to something
  • Finnish: avata — give access to something
  • French: déverrouiller — give access to something
  • French: débloquer — give access to something
  • Galician: desbloquear — give access to something
  • German: freischalten — give access to something
  • Italian: sbloccare — give access to something
  • Italian: desbloquear — give access to something
  • Portuguese: desbloquear — give access to something
  • Portuguese: destravar — give access to something
  • Romanian: debloca — give access to something
  • Spanish: desbloquear — give access to something
Real reading context

unlock in complete knowledge articles