What does unleash mean?
Word: Unleash
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Unleash means to set something free, such as a dog from its lead, or to suddenly let out a strong force or feeling.
Synonyms: release, free, let loose
Antonyms: restrain, hold back, control
How do you spell unleash?
Syllables: un - leash
Tricky part: The long ee sound in the middle is spelt ea, as in sea and team. Writing it the way it sounds gives the slip unleesh.
Watch out for: unleesh, unlesh
Memory tip: A puppy let free races into the sea, and the ea of sea is the ea in the middle of unleash.
Unleash in a sentence
Example 1: The monsoon clouds unleashed heavy rain on the coast all night.
Example 2: Opening the lid of a pressure cooker too early can unleash a burst of hot steam.
Example 3: In the final over, the batsman unleashed a string of powerful shots.
Fun Fact
In Britain a dog's strap is usually called a lead, yet people still say they unleash a dog, keeping the other name for the strap, which English borrowed from Old French centuries ago.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Fusion
Pick the two parts that together make a real word:
1. dis 2. un 3. leach 4. lease 5. leash 6. mis
a) 2 and 3
b) 5 and 6
c) 2 and 5
d) 1 and 4
Show answer
c) 2 and 5. Un and leash give unleash; unleach, dislease and misleash are not words.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
shanuel
a) to gather loose things into one neat pile
b) to say sorry after making a careless mistake
c) to keep a piece of news away from others
d) to take off whatever was holding something back
Show answer
d) to take off whatever was holding something back. Sorted out, shanuel gives unleash, which is what happens when the lead comes off and a dog races away.
Word Tally
Give 2 marks for every correctly spelt word. What is the total for the list?
unleash, unbuckel, untie, unfasten, untangel
a) 10
b) 6
c) 8
d) 4
Show answer
b) 6. Unbuckle and untangle both end in le; the three right words earn 3 x 2 = 6.
Spell Probe
Choose the meaning of the misspelt word in the sentence:
When the bell rang for the long break, the children unleashed all the energy they had saved up and raced to the playground in a joyfull crowd.
a) the strength needed to stay active
b) a large group of people in one place
c) very happy and full of delight
d) an outdoor area where children play
Show answer
c) very happy and full of delight. Joyful has only one l at the end; it means very happy.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The coach unleashed Meena, the fastest runner, in the last leg of the relay. This means he ___.
a) moved her to the first leg
b) kept her on the bench
c) let her run at full speed
d) asked her to walk the lap
Show answer
c) let her run at full speed
2. Which words best describe a song when a singer unleashes her full voice?
a) soft and slow
b) loud and powerful
c) quiet and shaky
d) thin and croaky
Show answer
b) loud and powerful
