unmoor
verb
un·moor ˌən-ˈmu̇r 
unmoored; unmooring; unmoors
transitive verb
: to loosen from or as if from moorings
intransitive verb
: to cast off moorings
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web By Big Tech standards, Netflix has remained a strongly independent company over its 25-year run, spurning big acquisitions and splashy deals that could unmoor its roots. 
Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 14 July 2022 The German Greens, now part of the country’s ruling coalition, lashed out at previous governments for not working faster to unmoor Germany’s economy from Russian fossil fuels. Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2022 When announced at Jackson Hole in August, the goal of the Fed’s new doctrine was actually to unmoor inflation expectations, which were purportedly running too low for too long. Kevin Warsh, WSJ, 7 June 2021 But the overarching ambitions laid out by Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli, who’ve collaborated before on a handful of notable short films, unmoor the writer-directors from the heart of their subject. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2021 As an artist, Sam Winston was often on the lookout for topsy-turvy projects – weird, sidelong ways to unmoor familiar habits or nudge his work in new directions. Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 20 May 2020 USA TODAY Princess Cruises had a health problem long before back-to-back outbreaks of the new coronavirus on the Diamond and Grand Princess ships unmoored the entire cruise industry. USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2020 Muñoz is like a lot of people these days: unmoored by the COVID-19 pandemic, grappling for a lifeline and finding one in the familiar conversational rhythms of an old-fashioned phone call. Richard A. Marini, ExpressNews.com, 4 May 2020 Branson said many of these hacks are impractical, dangerous, and unmoored from basic principles of physics and physiology. Lindsay Beyerstein, The New Republic, 10 Apr. 2020 See More
Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 14 July 2022 The German Greens, now part of the country’s ruling coalition, lashed out at previous governments for not working faster to unmoor Germany’s economy from Russian fossil fuels. Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2022 When announced at Jackson Hole in August, the goal of the Fed’s new doctrine was actually to unmoor inflation expectations, which were purportedly running too low for too long. Kevin Warsh, WSJ, 7 June 2021 But the overarching ambitions laid out by Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli, who’ve collaborated before on a handful of notable short films, unmoor the writer-directors from the heart of their subject. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2021 As an artist, Sam Winston was often on the lookout for topsy-turvy projects – weird, sidelong ways to unmoor familiar habits or nudge his work in new directions. Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 20 May 2020 USA TODAY Princess Cruises had a health problem long before back-to-back outbreaks of the new coronavirus on the Diamond and Grand Princess ships unmoored the entire cruise industry. USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2020 Muñoz is like a lot of people these days: unmoored by the COVID-19 pandemic, grappling for a lifeline and finding one in the familiar conversational rhythms of an old-fashioned phone call. Richard A. Marini, ExpressNews.com, 4 May 2020 Branson said many of these hacks are impractical, dangerous, and unmoored from basic principles of physics and physiology. Lindsay Beyerstein, The New Republic, 10 Apr. 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
unmoored
verb
as in unfettered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unfettered
- liberated
- emancipated
- unshackled
- unchained
- unbound
- enfranchised
- sprang
- sprung
- loosened
- unloosed
- freed
- uncaged
- loosed
- unleashed
- discharged
- unloosened
- unlocked
- manumitted
- uncorked
- expressed
- aired
- released
- took out
- vented
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- constrained
- restrained
- governed
- contained
- inhibited
- smothered
- controlled
- regulated
- held
- bridled
- shackled
- checked
- tamed
- confined
- curbed
- fettered
- handcuffed
- reined (in)
- bound
- trammeled
- trammelled
- manacled
- hampered
- enchained
- haltered