unheard

adjective

un·​heard ˌən-ˈhərd 

1

a

: not perceived by the ear

Their cries for help were unheard.

b

: not given attention

The students' concerns went unheard [=were ignored] by the administration.

2

archaic : unheard-of

Examples of unheard in a Sentence

Their cries for help were unheard.

Recent Examples on the Web

In any other field, Helen and Sam would be successful mid-career professionals, but in their line of work, happy retirements are basically unheard of. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

And a brand new (or even a relatively new) song becoming a Halloween staple is virtually unheard of. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2026

Today the news arrived that the third bourbon in this series was finished in chestnut barrels, an uncommon but not unheard of wood in the world of whiskey maturation. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026

Boos erupted inside the Aurora City Council chambers Monday night after a controversial vote left data center opponents feeling unheard and uncertain about what comes next. — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing unheard

• go unheard
• unheard-of

Rhymes for unheard

• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword
• catbird
• catchword
• concurred
• conferred
• cowbird
• cowherd
• crossword
• deferred

Kids Definition

unheard

adjective

un·​heard ˌən-ˈhərd 

1

: not heard by the ear

2

: not given a hearing