verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb

1. 1
   To remove a stoppage; to clear a blockage.

   "I was able to unstop the clogged toilet by using a plunger."

2. 2
   To unplug or uncork a container.

   "I unstopped a bottle of wine to celebrate."

3. 3
   To draw out the stops of (an organ).

Synonyms

All synonyms

barecleardeobstructdiscloseexposefree

Example

More examples

"I was able to unstop the clogged toilet by using a plunger."

Etymology

From Middle English unstoppen, equivalent to un- + stop. Cognate with Dutch ontstoppen, German entstopfen.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.