unknown

adjective

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un·known | \ ˌən-ˈnōn

Definition of unknown

(Entry 1 of 2)

: not known or not well-known also : having an unknown value an unknown quantity

unknown

noun

Definition of unknown (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : one that is not known or not well-known especially : a person who is little known (as to the public)

2 : something that requires discovery, identification, or clarification: such as

a : a symbol (such as x, y, or z) in a mathematical equation representing an unknown quantity

b : a specimen (as of bacteria or mixed chemicals) required to be identified as an exercise in appropriate laboratory techniques

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About unknown

Synonyms for unknown

Synonyms: Adjective

unbeknownst
(also unbeknown)

Examples of unknown in a Sentence

Adjective a disease of unknown cause Much remains unknown about his early life. Her music was previously unknown outside of Asia. An unknown number of cases go unreported. The victim's attacker was unknown to her. For some unknown reason, my computer crashed. a book of unknown poems Noun explorers venturing off into the unknown A fear of the unknown kept her from changing jobs. The director cast an unknown in the lead role. We're facing too many unknowns.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Investigators were able to make contact with the woman, but said her condition was unknown, according to officials. — Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive, 16 Jan. 2022 The extent of her injuries was unknown, Hisaw said. — David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2022 The full roster is still unknown, but reports are slowly rolling in. — ELLE, 16 Jan. 2022 All are embracing the unknown — and hoping for the best. — David Browne, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2022 Deconstruction is not something that people do exactly, but rather something that happens, often when people commit to the unknown and the impossible. — Audrey Clare Farley, The New Republic, 3 Jan. 2022 The primary cause behind 35% of such incidents is unknown. — Elliot Hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2022 Federal prosecutors have said those charges are being handled by state authorities, and the status of that separate case is unknown. — Bill Donahue, Billboard, 4 Jan. 2022 Ward suffered a groin injury in the second half, and his status for the Bengals game is unknown. — cleveland, 4 Jan. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Ali Khara / Reuters Already vulnerable after months of severe drought and decades of war that forced many to flee homes for relatively stable regions like Bamiyan, Afghans are entering the unknown. — NBC News, 30 Dec. 2021 Kind declined to predict how House Democrats will do next November, citing the unknown on COVID-19 and the economy. — Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 24 Dec. 2021 Effective leaders foster a sense of belonging, of safety within the team, building the trust that transforms the fear and ambiguity of facing the unknown into the excitement of possibility, challenge and performance. — Mark Attard, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2021 The emergence of the omicron variant represents a major unknown. — Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2021 But the 2022 race will face an unknown not seen before in modern Oregon politics. — oregonlive, 18 Dec. 2021 Randy and Doc are having a true adventure where the unknown becomes the experience. — Joe Michaud, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Dec. 2021 Then essentially an unknown, Del Toro didn’t get very far in acquiring the rights. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2021 Another Omicron unknown is the share of Covid cases in the U.S. that involve the new variant. — Nicholas St. Fleur, STAT, 15 Dec. 2021

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

Learn More About unknown

Dictionary Entries Near unknown

unknowledgeable

unknown

unknown quantity

Statistics for unknown

Last Updated

18 Jan 2022

Cite this Entry

“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unknown. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for unknown

unknown

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of unknown

(Entry 1 of 2)

: not known

: not well-known : not famous

unknown

noun

English Language Learners Definition of unknown (Entry 2 of 2)

: a place, situation, or thing that you do not know about or understand

: a person who is not famous or well-known

: something that is not known or not yet discovered

See the full definition for unknown in the English Language Learners Dictionary

unknown

adjective

un·known | \ ˌən-ˈnōn

Kids Definition of unknown

(Entry 1 of 2)

: not known … it was cut all over with strange lines and figures that might be the letters of an unknown language.— C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

unknown

noun

Kids Definition of unknown (Entry 2 of 2)

: one (as a quantity) that is unknown