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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of unknown
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.
—
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2025
If travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2025
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko told Reuters that Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday but that his current whereabouts were unknown.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Police are seeking an unknown suspect.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2025
If travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2025
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko told Reuters that Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday but that his current whereabouts were unknown.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Police are seeking an unknown suspect.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
-
The Administration had been slow to hire, and many staffers were unfamiliar with the intricacies of bureaucratic combat.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Through hashtags such as #LifeAfterDeportation, creators share clips about finding work, struggling with Spanish, enrolling their kids in school, and other challenges of rebuilding a life in an unfamiliar place.—
Christina Noriega,
Refinery29,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Break out of a rut by being open to novel approaches toward love and by being less codependent.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The team employed a novel method using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver messenger RNA (mRNA) directly to the testes.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The obscure defensive lineman spent the first month of the season on the shelf, but after returning for the 27-24 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins, the former Alabama standout is expected to be a healthy presence in the trenches for the Carolina Panthers.—
Mike Kaye
October 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of invoking the Act, the White House is using Section 12-406 of Title 10, an obscure provision of federal law, to claim authority to bring in National Guard troops, NPR's Jaclyn Diaz tells Up First.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Every city’s got that one weirdo kid making strange music.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The Sidney-Levi side of the proceedings is less interesting but more dominant, demonstrating a strange misunderstanding of the show’s appeal.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Look for unusual activity such as unrecognized logins, changes to passwords or new connected devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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In many cases, fans were able to see that the tickets were surreptitiously forwarded to unrecognized accounts, presumably so they could be sold on third-party sites.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
24 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
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The Administration has also issued reductions in force at agencies such as the Treasury Department and Health and Human Services, firing more than four thousand workers—an unprecedented action during a shutdown.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
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The film was being produced for an unprecedented $200 million budget — the most expensive movie ever made at the time — and the general public wasn't yet convinced that a movie about an 85-year-old maritime tragedy was anything to get hyped about.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
China’s sweeping new restrictions, some of which won’t take effect until November, could deal a huge blow to East Asian economies, such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which play critical roles in the global tech and artificial intelligence supply chain, as well as the auto industries.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
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And among the primary challenges is learning new defensive principles.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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