unsuspecting

adjective

un·​sus·​pect·​ing ˌən-sə-ˈspek-tiŋ 

: unaware of any danger or threat : not suspecting

unsuspecting victims

unsuspectingly adverb

Synonyms of unsuspecting

• naive
• innocent
• inexperienced
• simple
• unwary

Examples of unsuspecting in a Sentence

sidewalk vendors selling bogus gems to unsuspecting tourists

Recent Examples on the Web

Police said that Silvestre’s estranged husband, Michael Diego, 39, shot the couple and fled in his vehicle before getting a ride from an unsuspecting citizen to near Cosumnes River Boulevard and Bruceville Road. —Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 19 Jan. 2026

Exquisite Corpses is a horror franchise centered on a deadly game played every five years on Halloween, when the wealthiest families in America unleash 12 of the world’s most dangerous killers on an unsuspecting town. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026

In December, Fullerton police surprised unsuspecting drivers by handing out gift cards instead of citations during some traffic stops. —Claire Wang, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026

For as many times as a restaurant can be unsurprising, there are the gems that can turn an everyday ingredient or an unsuspecting meal into something unforgettable. —Sunny Hubler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsuspecting

• disconnecting
• disinfecting
• interjecting
• intersecting
• recollecting
• reconnecting
• redirecting
• resurrecting
• unreflecting
• affecting
• bisecting
• collecting