unstick

U1N1S1T1I1C3K5

verb

To free from the condition of being stuck.

OriginEnglish stick ← Middle English stiken ← Old English stician →
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Meanings

verbunstick (third-person singular simple present unsticks, present participle unsticking, simple past and past participle unstuck)

present singular third person unsticks · participle present unsticking · participle past unstuck · past unstuck

  1. figurativelysometimestransitiveTo free from the condition of being stuck.

    Add the rice and sauté until the first few grains begin to brown (about 3 minutes). Add peas, stock, and salt. Mix well and be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to unstick any rice.

    2012, Laura Pazzaglia, The Everything Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook
  2. intransitiveTo become freed from a stuck condition.

    Starting to panic, I stepped back and put my foot right through the door. Outside, Nelson laughed. The door unstuck. I hopped on one leg as it swung outward, carrying my boot.

    2019, Russ Linton, Plea Bargain
  3. intransitiveaeronauticsTo leave the ground during takeoff.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
deadhere

Origin

  1. Englishun-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)teyg-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*stignéh₂-
  4. Proto-Germanic*stikkōną
  5. Proto-West Germanic*stikkōn
  6. Old Englishstician
  7. Middle Englishstiken
  8. Englishstick
  9. Englishunstick

From un- + stick.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch opstijgen
  • opstijgento leave the ground during takeoff
French décoller, se décoincer
  • décollerto free from the condition of being stuck
  • se décoincerto become freed from a stuck condition
  • décollerto leave the ground during takeoff
Polish odkleić, odklejać
  • odkleićto free from the condition of being stuck
  • odklejaćto free from the condition of being stuck
  • odlepićto free from the condition of being stuck
  • odlepiaćto free from the condition of being stuck
  • odkleić sięto become freed from a stuck condition
  • odklejać sięto become freed from a stuck condition
  • odlepić sięto become freed from a stuck condition
  • odlepiać sięto become freed from a stuck condition
Spanish despegar, despegar
  • despegarto free from the condition of being stuck
  • despegarto leave the ground during takeoff

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with unstick

clickquickpickcreekpicsticktechniquenicksickthickrickkickvicchicksicticknicslickflickticficwickSikhclique
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

unstick. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unstick

MLA

“unstick.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unstick. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unstick,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unstick.

Source: unstick on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.