Let's unfold the map on the table and discuss it.
Source: tatoeba (963350)
Unfold
/ʌnˈfoʊld/
Synonyms for "unfold" (281 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (57)
Verb(12 words)
account foraffectallegorizeampleamplifyattendbarebe revealedbecome ofbetokenbranchbranch outbrandishbreakbreak the sealbreathebring forthbring forwardbring into viewbring out
Show 21 more words
bring to lightbring to noticeclarifyclearclear upcome aboutcome ofcome outcrackdangledawndecipherdecodedemonstratedemythologizedeobstructdeploydescantdetaildevelopdilate
Noun(4 words)
Strong matches (84)
disclosediscoverdismaskdispersedisplaydissolvedivulgedope outdramatizedraw the veilelaborateelucidateembodyenactendenlargeenlarge uponenlightenensueeuhemerize
Show 42 more words
eventuateevidenceevinceevolveexemplifyexhibitexpandexpatiateexplainexplain awayexplicateexposeexpose to viewexpositexpoundexpressextendfall outfanfan outfarefigure outflareflauntflourishflowerfollowfreegive reason forgive signgive the meaninggive tokenhappenhighlightilluminateillustrateimpartincarnateindicateissuelay barelay open
Verb(13 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (140)
Noun(15 words)
leafsopening a bookprogress over timesequence sourcessplayingsurprise resulttelescopestelescopingtranspiringuncoilingunwrappingwaterfalledwaterfallingwingspreadsyawn
let daylight inlet outmake a show ofmake clearmake plainmanifestmaterializemeannarrateoccuropenopen upoutspreadoutstretchovergrowoverrunpan outparadeparticularizepatefy
Show 83 more words
performpopularizepresentproduceproveprove to bepuzzle outraise the curtainramifyrationalizerecountrehearse in extensorelate at largerepresentresolveresultrevealrollroll outset forthshed light uponshowshow forthshow howshow the wayshow upsimplifysolvespell outspinsplayspotlightspraddlespranglesprawlspreadspread like wildfirespread outstraighten outstretch outstrip baretake placeterminatethrow light upontokentrot outturn outunblockuncaseunclenchuncloakunclogunclutchuncoiluncorkuncoveruncurtainundoundrapeunfoulunfurlunkennelunlatchunlockunmaskunpackunplugunravelunreelunriddleunrollunscreenunsealunsheatheunshroudunshutunstopunveilunwindunwrapwavewidenwork out
Verb(21 words)
progressrumbledsimmeredspread outstretchstretch outtranspiretranspiresunbentuncoveruncurlunfurledunfurlsunleashedunpackedunrolledunrollsunveilunwindsunwrapped
Show 1 more word
Adjective(1 words)
unforced bloom
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: open, reveal, spread, account for, affect.
- Sentence evidence is available for unfold, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unfold".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unfold"
Keep "unfold" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unfold" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unfold", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unfold" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
14 entriesbring outchange formchange shapedeformdevelopdevelopmentdisclosuredisplayopeningprogressionrevealrevelationundounveil
More specific
6 entriesevent developmentfabric spreadinformation releasemap openingplot developmentstory progression
Collocations
5 entriesunfolded mapunfolded pagesunfolding planunfolding plotunfolding story
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
21 total sentences available.
New questions will be asked and new debates will unfold.
Source: tatoeba (2981097)
Tom started to unfold the piece of paper Mary handed him.
Source: tatoeba (3436459)
The Northwest’s economy, infrastructure, natural systems, public health, and agriculture sectors all face important climate change related risks. Impacts on infrastructure, natural systems, human health, and economic sectors, combined with issues of social and ecological vulnerability, will unfold quite differently in largely natural areas, like the Cascade Range, than in urban areas like Seattle and Portland or among the region’s many Native American Tribes.
Source: tatoeba (3651105)
Showing 4 of 21 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unfold"?
Closest matches include open, reveal, spread, account for, affect.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unfold"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.