How to spell unlock

hear itun·lock/ən'lɑk/verbPrefixes and work

What it means: To open something by using a key or code.

In a sentence: I need the key to unlock the treasure chest.

The part people get wrong

Often misspelled as unlok or unlocke.

Same family: locked, locking, unlocking, lock, lockable. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Unlock is formed from the Old English verb 'locian' (to lock) with the prefix 'un-' meaning to reverse an action. English often uses 'un-' with verbs like 'tie' → 'untie' and 'wrap' → 'unwrap' to show the opposite action.

Patterns it uses: Prefixes keep every letter

Try spelling it

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Words like this

unpack · sickness · unsure · unsafe · undo · unkind · uncover

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