unidentified

adjective

un·​iden·​ti·​fied ˌən-ī-ˈden-tə-ˌfīd How to pronounce unidentified (audio)
-ə-ˈden-
Synonyms of unidentifiednext
: not having a known or established identity : not identified
unidentified flying objects
an unidentified suspect

Examples of unidentified in a Sentence

an unidentified worker reported the security breach some unidentified person helped them and then left quietly
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
During the first few days of operation, only 50 people per day will be allowed to cross both ways, Egypt’s state-affiliates AlQahera News reported on Monday, citing an unidentified source. Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026 Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026 Among the correspondence is an invitation for Epstein to dine at Buckingham Palace, Epstein’s offer to introduce Mountbatten-Windsor to a 26-year-old Russian woman, and photos that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over an unidentified woman lying on the floor. Philip Marcelo, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026 After reporting the contacts, the Yanan calls in support from the aircraft carrier Shandong, which dispatches three aircraft to confirm the presence of the unidentified planes. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unidentified

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unidentified was in 1861

Cite this Entry

“Unidentified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unidentified. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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