unlock

/ʌnˈlɒk/

//ʌnˈlɒk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unlock" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unlock” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #8,374. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#8,374
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unlock · unlock · English

unlock · rank #8,374 · 9 variants · 5 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #8,374
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 5 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH unite

Nearest frequency peer: unite (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unlock”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unlock” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

unlock vs unpack
67% similar
unlock vs unlucky
71% similar
unlock vs unlocked
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for unlock
PropertyValue
Headwordunlock
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ʌnˈlɒk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#8,374
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unlock”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).unlocklands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “unite” (#8,373), “vault” (#8,375), “unemployed” (#8,372). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unlock” is #8,374. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around unlock (IPA /ʌnˈlɒk/), averb. Corpus frequency is #8,374 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for unlock, with forms such as "nulock", "ulnock", and "unlcok". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "unpack", "unlucky", "unlocked", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”). The correct English form is unlock, spelled U-N-L-O-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination.
  2. 2
    To obtain access to something; to meet the requirements of a security or protection system.
  3. 3
    To configure (a mobile phone) so that it is not bound to any particular carrier.
  4. 4
    To disclose or reveal previously unknown knowledge or potential.
  5. 5
    To be or become unfastened or unrestrained.
  6. 6
    To make available.
  7. 7
    To undermine something that has control over a situation; to find a way to counter or oppose.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unlock appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I unlocked the door and walked in.
  2. I unlocked the dictionary article so I could edit it.

Etymology

From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”).

This word in other languages

abrir(Español)déverrouiller(Français)aufschließen(Deutsch)destrancar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nulock
  • ulnock
  • unlcok
  • unllock
  • unlocck
  • unlockk
  • unlokc
  • unnlock
  • unolck

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unlock - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

nulock2ulnock2unlcok2unllock1unlocck1unlockk1unlokc2unnlock1
Edit distance from "unlock"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unlock"?
"unlock" is spelled U-N-L-O-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈlɒk/.
What does "unlock" mean?
As a verb, "unlock" means: To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination.
What words are commonly confused with "unlock"?
"unlock" is commonly confused with "unpack", "unlucky", "unlocked". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "unlock"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unlock" is /ʌnˈlɒk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unlock"?
From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unlock", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

aiming#8,383theres#8,365alumni#8,385awhile#8,387

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

stabbed9 variantsbroker9 variantsshuttle9 variantsgifted9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list