unproven

adjective

un·​prov·​en ˌən-ˈprü-vən 

British also -ˈprō-

: not tested and shown to be good, true, or useful : not proven

an unproven allegation/theory

unproven benefits

unproven technology

Examples of unproven in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hollywood has long been a petri dish of nasty rumors, and throughout its history, several unproven, or unprovable, salacious stories about movie stars have taken on lives of their own. — Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026

Now, the talented but unproven netminder has a tremendous opportunity. — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Fins have the youngest roster in the league, and will rely on the unproven Willis being really good, on the young players developing fast with a few stars emerging, and on future draft picks stockpiled in the rebuild. — Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026

The program, also known as compassionate use, is a regulatory pathway that helps dying patients get unproven drugs outside of a clinical trial. — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unproven

• proven

Legal Definition

unproven

adjective

un·​prov·​en

ˌən-ˈprü-vən

: not proven

an unproven allegation