1
as in unfamiliar
happening or existing without one's knowledge
unknown to me was the fact that while I was out, my family was hurriedly preparing a surprise birthday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in novel
not known or experienced before
becoming a father brought unknown joy to his life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscure
not widely known
looking for a relatively unknown singer to record the song
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of unknown
Police say that there is no threat to the public, and that the sewer systems have been investigated after the unknown individuals spent hours in the underground tunnels.
—
Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The contents of their correspondence are unknown.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 4 June 2026
The sword ends up in parts unknown.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026
But 51,100 pipes are, with another 38,200 lines crafted from unknown materials.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The contents of their correspondence are unknown.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 4 June 2026
The sword ends up in parts unknown.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026
But 51,100 pipes are, with another 38,200 lines crafted from unknown materials.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
-
Early in The Hill, Harriet Clark’s extraordinary debut novel, the narrator, nine-year-old Suzanna, is let out of the car at an unfamiliar bank branch by Sylvie, her grandmother.—
Laura Miller,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
-
The Bahraini military urged residents to exercise caution around any unfamiliar or suspicious objects that may have fallen as a result of the attacks and to report them immediately to authorities.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The novel infection occurred in an adult living in Herkimer County, which stretches from the edge of Utica into the Adirondack Mountains.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
The Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel has long been known for the quality of its spa, but the team has pivoted to a novel approach, creating personalised longevity pathways using new technologies alongside long-standing organic and nature-focused treatments.—
Jaymi McCann,
TheWeek,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
From tasting menus that spotlight a single grain variety to butcher counters featuring specific heritage breeds, professional kitchens are translating obscure agricultural choices into experiences diners remember.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
What obscure motive lay behind this one?—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Apparently unbeknownst to the defendants, the meeting continued recording the next hour of interactions between the brothers.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
-
The third episode details the story of Joyce Pelzer, who was in a relationship with another woman when, unbeknownst to her girlfriend, she was arrested for killing her ex-girlfriend, Shawndell McLeod, and wife, Rosalyn Lewis.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The author could herself be considered predatorial, having written her own children in as the books’ protagonists, saddling them with a strange kind of fame.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
This strange occurrence echoes what happened at the top of the dot-com bubble 26 years ago.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
When harm remains unrecognized as error, safeguards rarely follow.—
Nisha Narayanan,
STAT,
5 June 2026
-
Although attempts were made to wake her up through verbal and sternal stimuli, her difficulty breathing went unrecognized for 15 minutes.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Putin was also at the parade, with the three leaders showcasing an unprecedented show of unity.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
The World Cup, a 48-team, 104-match behemoth kicking off this week in Los Angeles and across 15 other cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, presents an unprecedented security challenge, with more countries, games and a larger footprint than ever before.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
That stands in contrast to the Nasdaq, which has already moved to fast-track SpaceX's inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index, leading to concerns that new retail investors could become the cash cow of exit liquidity for legacy SpaceX shareholders.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
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With Fairfield High’s graduation set to be held Friday, community members started a petition calling for it to be moved to a new location.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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