Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

unbar

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.06 in modern English

Syllables: un-bar
IPA

7

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To unlock or unbolt a door that had been locked or bolted with a bar.

Transitive verb

verb

To remove an impediment that obstructs the passage of (someone or something).

Transitive verb

verb

To remove a prohibition.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"“No need to unbar gates to thee and me,” said the martlet, as they passed beneath the darkness of that ancient portal, carved with strange devices, and clean through the massy timbers of the bolted gate thickly riveted with silver, into the inner court."
"Only Enid could dare him at such a time, and even she felt occasionally that sinking of the heart which the bravest of tamers may experience as he unbars the gate of the cage."

Etymology

From Middle English unbarren, equivalent to un- + bar.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: un
Root: unbarren

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

unbars (present, singular) unbarring (participle, present) unbarred (participle, past) unbarred (past)

Questions

What does unbar mean?: To unlock or unbolt a door that had been locked or bolted with a bar.
Where does unbar come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce unbar

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “unbar”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “unbar”.
Repeat and practice — Say “unbar” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.