WordGarden.iounstick
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnstˈɪk/
US
- /ʌnstˈɪk/
Meanings
Verb
to free something that is stuck so it can move or come loose
to get a person, process, or situation moving again after a blockage or impasse
to make a stalled software or system process start responding or progressing again
Beyond the definition
Sometimes things get... well, stuck. Whether it's gum in your hair, a zipper refusing to budge, or a thought you can't move past, "unstick" means to free something that is stuck. It implies effort; you do not "unstick" something with a mere wish. A mechanic might unstick a rusted bolt, and a therapist might help someone get unstuck from negative thought patterns.
Think of it like the opposite of glue. Glue sticks things together; to unstick is to break that bond. It's often used when something is stubbornly held in place, requiring some force or ingenuity to release. You can even use it figuratively: "I need to unstick my brain and start working!"
"Unstick" describes the act of freeing something from a state of being stuck, fastened, or immobile. It's often used when something is physically held in place by an adhesive, friction, or obstruction. For example: "He tried to unstick the drawer that had swollen shut with humidity." Or, "She carefully unstuck the label from the bottle."
However, "unstick" isn't limited to physical objects. It can also be used figuratively to describe overcoming mental blocks or emotional stagnation. You might say, "The vacation helped him unstick himself from his routine and rediscover his creativity," meaning it allowed him to break free from a pattern of behavior. Or, "After weeks of writer's block, she finally managed to unstick her story."
While not a particularly formal word, "unstick" carries a sense of effort and persistence. It suggests that something was firmly held in place and required deliberate work to release. Unlike simply releasing or detaching, "unstick" implies overcoming resistance or suction.
So, whether you're rescuing a toy from a sticky situation, freeing a jammed mechanism, or breaking free from a mental rut, "unstick" is about restoring movement and freedom where it was previously blocked.
Examples
- 1
Label removal
I peeled the price label off slowly so I wouldn't tear it while trying to unstick it from the jar.
- 2
Stuck pages
The pages had stuck together in the heat, but they finally unstuck when the book cooled down.
- 3
Gum removal
She used warm water to unstick the gum from her shoe.
- 4
Discussion
We were going in circles until Maya asked one simple question that unstuck the discussion.
- Patternunstick + process/discussion
get it moving again after it has stopped
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Creative block
A short break usually helps me unstick myself when I'm stuck on a piece of writing.
- Phraseunstick yourself
become able to move forward again
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- unstick