unwitting

adjective

un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ 

1

: not knowing : unaware

kept the truth from their unwitting friends

2

: not intended : inadvertent

an unwitting mistake

unwittingly

ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of unwitting

• accidental
• inadvertent

Examples of unwitting in a Sentence

He kept the truth from his unwitting friends.

an unwitting victim of fraud

Recent Examples on the Web

And with many of these videos racking up millions of views, the ensuing embarrassment for the unwitting subjects can be palpable. — David MacK, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Donald Trump‘s ruse of hiding in an airport catering truck to secretly switch planes and evade a potential Iranian missile, leaving unwitting reporters and some White House staffers and cabinet members in the threatened Air Force One. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026

And then there is Kerkering, an unwitting symbol for all of this. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

One focuses on Ted as a teenage prodigy attending Harvard in the 1950s who becomes the unwitting victim of abusive experiments by his psychology professor, Henry Murray (Russell Crowe). — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unwitting

• acquitting
• admitting
• befitting
• committing
• emitting
• omitting
• outfitting
• outwitting
• permitting
• refitting
• remitting
• submitting

Kids Definition

unwitting

adjective

un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwit-iŋ 

ˈən-

1

: not intended : inadvertent

an unwitting mistake

2

: not knowing : unaware

unwittingly adverb