desatar

to unleash

verb deh-sah-TAHR Less Common

Also means

to untie

Usage Note

Desatar literally means to untie something bound, but its most common use is figurative: desatar una crisis ('to unleash a crisis'), desatar una tormenta de críticas ('to trigger a storm of criticism'). The reflexive desatarse emphasises spontaneous eruption: se desató una pelea ('a fight broke out').

Examples

"La noticia desató una ola de protestas."

Natural Translation

The news unleashed a wave of protests.

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