unsee

verb

un·​see ˌən-ˈsē 

unsaw ˌən-ˈsȯ  ; unseeing; unsees

transitive verb

1

: to fail to see (something) : to avoid seeing (something)

Countless people have studied the painting and never seen the hidden likeness in it. Yet, once it comes to your attention, you can't unsee it again.

—Kenneth Baker

2

: to forget having seen (something) : to erase the image of (something) from one's memory

… you see things at the poker expo you can never unsee.

—Bill Simmons

Examples of unsee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This month brings focus to your money, power dynamics and emotional entanglements in a way that’s difficult to unsee. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

Cane and Jenna were giggly high-schoolers with some obvious attraction going on during their substance-heavy double date, and no one can unsee that. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 20 June 2025

In one gory scene that’s difficult to unsee, the ferociously hungry Oliver chews on a kitchen knife. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 May 2025

Revisit the gnarly snippet of nature and try, try to unsee it. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unsee

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flea
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he