unwitting

adjective

un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ 

1

: not knowing : unaware

kept the truth from their unwitting friends

2

: not intended : inadvertent

an unwitting mistake

unwittingly

ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of unwitting

• accidental
• inadvertent

Examples of unwitting in a Sentence

He kept the truth from his unwitting friends.

an unwitting victim of fraud

Recent Examples on the Web

What the law can do Assuming there is no forgery of documents with an unwitting and unwilling spoiler candidate, there is little the law can do. — Drew Kurlowski, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026

Fear not, netting surrounding the exhibit will keep errant drones from slamming into unwitting museum visitors. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Awash in 10-foot-high floodwaters, this area became the disaster’s unwitting poster child, its destruction still strewn about 21 years later. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026

Britain says some of them have ended ​up acting as unwitting proxies for foreign states such as Iran or Russia. — CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unwitting

• acquitting
• admitting
• befitting
• committing
• emitting
• omitting
• outfitting
• outwitting
• permitting
• refitting
• remitting
• submitting

Kids Definition

unwitting

adjective

un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwit-iŋ 

ˈən-

1

: not intended : inadvertent

an unwitting mistake

2

: not knowing : unaware

unwittingly adverb