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Can you be scathed instead of unscathed?
We often hear of a person coming through some difficult circumstance, or dangerous endeavor, and “emerging unscathed,” yet we rarely hear of anyone “emerging scathed.” Why is this? Scathe is a word: it may function as a noun (“harm, injury”) or as a verb (“to do harm to,” “to assail with withering denunciation”). It is not as commonly found as it once was, and now primarily serves as the basis for the adjective scathing (“bitterly severe”) or for the latter portion of unscathed. So you can say that someone “emerged scathed” if you wish, but be advised that it will have a curiously archaic sound to it.
Examples of unscathed in a Sentence
David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2024
Hurricanes are becoming more frequent across the state, affecting even those communities that have traditionally gone unscathed.
—Bryan Koon, Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2024
Even as Hurricane Beryl pummeled Houston and East Texas, San Antonio has gone relatively unscathed.
—Madalyn Mendoza, Axios, 8 July 2024
The cat does miraculously survive the film unscathed, though.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for unscathed 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unscathed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Unscathed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unscathed. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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unscathed
adjective
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