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
3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unknown The collection’s whereabouts are unknown, most probably destroyed. Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025 The identity of the body is currently unknown and the case is now a death investigation. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025 The cause, whether accidental or intentional, remains unknown and fixing the issue could take weeks or months, The National reported. Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Horner was ousted from his role with immediate effect for reasons unknown. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
  • Recent studies suggest that competing on surfaces with unfamiliar mechanical properties – such as stiffness and elasticity – can accelerate neuromuscular fatigue.
    Michael Hales, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Later, while sifting through their collections, researchers noticed three unfamiliar-looking fish, the 2025 study said.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This novel rocks just as hard as its heroine, Opal, a badass Black singer in the ‘60s and ‘70s made in the image of icons like Grace Jones and Betty Davis.
    Lauren Morrow September 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
  • This allows bitBiome researchers to identify novel genes to insert into a standard laboratory protein-production organism and generate samples of potentially interesting new versions of the enzymes or proteins encoded by the isolated gene sequences.
    Steven Savage, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For instance, in a now obscure 1944 speech, Franklin Delano Roosevelt argued that the American Revolution remained an incomplete project.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Department and team-level metrics expose inefficiency that company-wide averages often obscure.
    Heidi Farris, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The combination of strange comments, a clear lack of education and experience, and a disturbing personal history with mental health struggles and domestic problems doomed his campaign.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Coon admitted that their daughter has also taken up a strange favorite film.
    Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • At the end of April 2022, the Russian army moved the Kuindzhi Art Museum's entire collection to a museum in the capital of the Donetsk People's Republic, a separatist and politically unrecognized territory annexed by Russia.
    Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Even in the early years after its publication, the novel’s feat didn’t go unrecognized.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie turned the wizardly backstory into an epic adventure, opening a gateway for young unbeknownst fantasy fans everywhere while also delivering a classically wholesome story about the importance of family and a parent's unconditional love.
    EW Staff, EW.com, 1 July 2024
  • For a surprise at the end, unbeknownst even to King, Winfrey arranged a path lined with sparklers, framing the couple in a golden glow against the night sky.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
Adjective
  • The unprecedented nature of the election leaves a lot of variables unknown.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The format grants viewers unprecedented control over programming elements, from influencing contestant challenges involving current events and social issues to deciding elimination outcomes and performance selections.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This reduces waste, extends product lifespan, and minimizes the use of new materials.
    Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Ahead of the premiere of her new Netflix series, Too Much, written for her by Lena Dunham, the 33-year-old reflects on what got her to this moment.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unknown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!