unknown quantity
noun
: someone or something whose abilities or characteristics are not yet known
If you've never been published before, you're an unknown quantity, so you're going to have difficulty selling your first novel.
Examples of unknown quantity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The original 1979 test employed a roughly 45-foot-long experimental mining machine that mined an unknown quantity of nodules over four days.
—
Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
Algebra deals with equalities, solving equations for some unknown quantity.
—Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
The Independence Day star turning down 1999’s The Matrix is actually pretty understandable, as writers-directors The Wachowskis were still an unknown quantity at the time.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025
An unknown quantity is what might happen if other clubs attempt to poach Newcastle’s truly game-changing players, such as Alexander Isak.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Club icon Jurgen Klopp departed as manager in the summer after almost nine years with Liverpool and his replacement, Slot, had an impressive track record in his native Netherlands but was an unknown quantity in English football.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
The suspects then allegedly stole an unknown quantity of Apple electronics from the truck and fled in two vehicles, according to state police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
This set off a series of large explosions and a huge plume of black smoke, while a still unknown quantity of jet fuel has spilled into the sea.
—Lauren Lowman, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
Instead of Jimmy Kimmel, a memorable host in the recent past with a keen appreciation for puncturing pretensions, there is Conan O’Brien who, while familiar, remains an unknown quantity in how politically barbed his opening monologue might be.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
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Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
Algebra deals with equalities, solving equations for some unknown quantity.
—Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
The Independence Day star turning down 1999’s The Matrix is actually pretty understandable, as writers-directors The Wachowskis were still an unknown quantity at the time.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025
An unknown quantity is what might happen if other clubs attempt to poach Newcastle’s truly game-changing players, such as Alexander Isak.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Club icon Jurgen Klopp departed as manager in the summer after almost nine years with Liverpool and his replacement, Slot, had an impressive track record in his native Netherlands but was an unknown quantity in English football.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
The suspects then allegedly stole an unknown quantity of Apple electronics from the truck and fled in two vehicles, according to state police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025
This set off a series of large explosions and a huge plume of black smoke, while a still unknown quantity of jet fuel has spilled into the sea.
—Lauren Lowman, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025
Instead of Jimmy Kimmel, a memorable host in the recent past with a keen appreciation for puncturing pretensions, there is Conan O’Brien who, while familiar, remains an unknown quantity in how politically barbed his opening monologue might be.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unknown quantity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unknown%20quantity. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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