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
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