1
as in unfamiliar
happening or existing without one's knowledge
unknown to me was the fact that while I was out, my family was hurriedly preparing a surprise birthday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in novel
not known or experienced before
becoming a father brought unknown joy to his life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscure
not widely known
looking for a relatively unknown singer to record the song
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unknown
The work also highlights how much remains unknown regarding the chemistry of wine bottles and their cork sealing systems.
—
Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 19 June 2026
This likely means the entire site will be out of action for an unknown period.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Despite an extensive investigation at the time of his disappearance, Dennington's whereabouts remained unknown.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
Off Campus‘ Mika Abdalla went from a relatively unknown actress to a household name overnight after the release of the Prime Video series.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 19 June 2026
This likely means the entire site will be out of action for an unknown period.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Despite an extensive investigation at the time of his disappearance, Dennington's whereabouts remained unknown.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
Off Campus‘ Mika Abdalla went from a relatively unknown actress to a household name overnight after the release of the Prime Video series.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
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In the early stages of a relationship, self-expansion is largely automatic, as new partners are most inclined at this point to learn about each other’s unfamiliar interests, social circles, habits and ideas.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Greene worries that rising prices and the disappearance of mass-market paperbacks could create a future where fewer readers take chances on unfamiliar authors.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
This moving novel unfurls its truths one letter at a time, filling in a complex and memorable picture of one woman’s life.—
Esther K. Choy,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Obesity has become a massive global health crisis, but the emergence of novel anti-obesity drugs has been a powerful tool in curbing the pandemic.—
Isabella Backman,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The interlocking puzzle of the iPhone, GPS and Google Maps was a moment when multiple strands of technological development, some of them obscure and many with deep links to the US military, converged into a single life-changing package.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
What has changed in recent years, however, is that prediction markets are no longer an obscure pastime enjoyed by political junkies.—
Matt Motta,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
That same night, unbeknownst to friends and family, the couple spontaneously wed in a courthouse wedding.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
-
Apparently unbeknownst to the defendants, the meeting continued recording the next hour of interactions between the brothers.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Truth is stranger than fiction.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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As Photay, Shornstein—a master synthesist and producer—flits between atmospheric house, dubby breakbeat workouts, and chirping electro funk, building his songs’ arrangements into strange, angular shapes.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Expecting Women To Perform Emotional Labor Women are often expected to organize celebrations, mentor new employees, mediate conflicts, and provide emotional support—all tasks that benefit organizations but often go unrecognized in promotion decisions.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
When harm remains unrecognized as error, safeguards rarely follow.—
Nisha Narayanan,
STAT,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
In an unprecedented move, a stretch of Interstate 95 was shut down for days because of the thick smoke and flames.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
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After that, Obsession’s business leaped an unprecedented 39% upward in its second weekend in theaters and a 14% jump in weekend three, before taking a mere 7% dip in weekend four.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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The first colorway will be available in an all-blue silhouette that also features Clark's new signature logo.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
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On Wednesday, federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss all charges in the case, citing new video evidence.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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