unattended

adjective un·at·tend·ed \ ˌən-ə-ˈten-dəd \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of unattended

: not attended : not watched or looked after : lacking a guard, escort, caretaker, etc.

an unattended parking lot

a fire left unattended

unattended children

unattended luggage

See unattended defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of unattended from the Web

The vehicle was running and unattended at the time of the theft.

— james queally, latimes.com, "Infant abducted in car theft in Van Nuys is found safe, LAPD says," 4 Apr. 2018
Outdoor food and water stations for pets should be removed immediately after use and excess food should not be left unattended.

— steven goode, courant.com, "New Britain Health Officials: Deceased Feral Cat Tests Positive For Rabies," 3 Apr. 2018
Not boring, though: Nana Rose, who Penelope left at Thistle House, unattended.

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "'Riverdale' Season 2 Episode 17 Recap: Cheryl and Toni Have a Big Moment," 28 Mar. 2018
Mothers will often leave their young unattended for several reasons.

— guest columnist/cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "Does baby wildlife need our help?: Amy LeMonds," 25 Mar. 2018
According to her indictment, which was obtained by PEOPLE, Neatherlin allegedly left children unattended on eight occasions in March 2017.

— steve helling, PEOPLE.com, "Oregon Daycare Owner Gets 21 Years for Drugging 7 Children and Leaving Them to Go Tanning," 12 Mar. 2018
The University of Texas sent out an email to students, warning them to be wary not only of packages, but also unattended items such as backpacks—a common sight on most college campuses.

— russell gold, WSJ, "Life Among the Bombs: Austin Tries to Stick to Routine," 20 Mar. 2018
The plan was to walk back a little more than two miles, leaving the kayaks unattended, and retrieve the phone.

— alex schechter, Condé Nast Traveler, "Kayaking the 'River of Life' in Ireland," 16 Mar. 2018
And after passing out, he was left on the couch unattended.

— Fox News, "Huckabee on America's hazing problem," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unattended.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unattended

1603

Learn More about unattended

Spanish Central: Translation of unattended Nglish: Translation of unattended for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up unattended? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

unattended

Definition of unattended

Recent Examples of unattended from the Web

First Known Use of unattended

Learn More about unattended

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

grudging

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Words of the Year: 1066

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

More Confusing Words—Quiz

Spell It

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

unattended

Definition of unattended

Recent Examples of unattended from the Web

First Known Use of unattended

Learn More about unattended

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes