unsticking
Coming loose now
Unsticking is the act of freeing something that's stuck.
You might work at unsticking a jar lid, a stubborn drawer, or two pages glued together.
The word extends to abstract situations: We spent the meeting unsticking the negotiation process.
Getting unstuck often requires patience or force.
Dissolving liquid or financially stable
- acetoneVolatile organic solvent
- removerAgent that eliminates
- dissolveDisperse into liquid
- softenMake less firm
loosen · unglue · peel · scrape · soak · warm · steam · alcohol
Friction-reducing substance
- WD-40Multi-use lubricant spray
- penetrating oilFluid that loosens corrosion
- greaseThick oily lubricant
- loosenReduce tension or grip
unjam · unfreeze · dislodge · pry · wiggle · tap · jiggle · free
To separate from
- disengageBreak free from attachment
- extricateFree from entanglement
- disentangleFree from snarls
- unfastenRelease from attachment
uncouple · unhitch · unclasp · unstrap · unpin · unbolt · release · separate
Sudden important advance
- unblockRemove an obstacle
- overcomePrevail against difficulty
- move forwardTravel in intended direction
- progressMovement toward improvement
momentum · release · letting go · resolution · clarity · shift · liberation · processing
Remove an obstacle
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- brainstormSpontaneous idea generation
freewrite · momentum · productivity · ideation · spark · motivation · restart · refresh
solvent
Dissolving liquid or financially stable
soften · loosen · unglue · peel · scrape · soak · warm · steam · alcohol · mineral spirits
lubricant
Friction-reducing substance
- WD-40Multi-use lubricant spray
- penetrating oilFluid that loosens corrosion
- greaseThick oily lubricant
loosen · unjam · unfreeze · dislodge · pry · wiggle · tap · jiggle · free · unblock
detach
To separate from
- disengageBreak free from attachment
- extricateFree from entanglement
- disentangleFree from snarls
unfasten · uncouple · unhitch · unclasp · unstrap · unpin · unbolt · release · separate · pull apart
breakthrough
Sudden important advance
- unblockRemove an obstacle
- overcomePrevail against difficulty
- move forwardTravel in intended direction
progress · momentum · release · letting go · resolution · clarity · shift · liberation · processing · healing
unblock
Remove an obstacle
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- breakthroughSudden important advance
brainstorm · freewrite · momentum · productivity · ideation · spark · motivation · restart · refresh · reframe
- displacementdislocation, dislodging, relocation, displacing, uprooting