unproven

adjective

un·​prov·​en ˌən-ˈprü-vən How to pronounce unproven (audio)
 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 The agency wouldn't be comfortable putting a billion-dollar Mars mission on any unproven rocket. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2023 But Johnson is relatively unproven as a fundraiser, and McCarthy, who pulled in more than $500 million last election cycle, rose to the top of his party in part because of his ability to rake in dough. Erin B. Logan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023 Nine of the top 10 accounts were known anti-vaccine proponents, several of whom promoted unproven and potentially harmful treatments and attacked top public health officials. Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023 The groups argued, and Liman agreed, that the Wildlife Service had relied too much on unproven restoration and re-population efforts to determine that the giant salamander was not in danger of extinction. Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 7 Sep. 2023 That failure has been particularly consequential during the Israel-Gaza war, when Twitter was central to disseminating unproven narratives, such as who blew up a hospital in Gaza. Jeremy B. Merrill, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023 Their reliance upon a stable of unproven or aging pitchers backfired as well. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023 But the 6th Circuit panel sided with proponents of gender-affirming care bans who say the treatments are unproven and risk permanently harming children. Reuters, NBC News, 29 Sep. 2023 Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night kick off their quest to become the first repeat champions in nearly two decades, and their biggest obstacle isn’t an unproven receiving corps or a star tight end with a bum knee. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unproven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unproven was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near unproven

Cite this Entry

“Unproven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unproven. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Legal Definition

unproven

adjective
un·​prov·​en
ˌən-ˈprü-vən
: not proven
an unproven allegation

More from Merriam-Webster on unproven

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