Word
unload
Phoneticsun·load, stress on the second syllable
US/ənˈɫoʊd/
UK/ʌnlˈəʊd/
Definition
v. to take things off a vehicle or out of a container. You can also use it to talk about sharing your heavy feelings with someone.
v. to remove goods or cargo from a vehicle, ship, or container; metaphorically, to release or express suppressed emotions or information.
Examples
“We need to unload the groceries from the car.”
“After a long day at work, she needed to unload her frustrations to a friend over coffee.”
“The dockworkers spent the entire night shift attempting to unload the massive freighter before the storm surge made the harbor too dangerous for operations.”
Examples
simple
“We need to unload the groceries from the car.”
contextual
“After a long day at work, she needed to unload her frustrations to a friend over coffee.”
complex
“The dockworkers spent the entire night shift attempting to unload the massive freighter before the storm surge made the harbor too dangerous for operations.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; in its emotional sense, it often takes the preposition 'on' or 'to' followed by a person.
Etymology
From un- + load.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unload