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
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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
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Recent Examples of unknown
The extent of his wounds was unknown, and officers were working to identify a suspect.
—
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2025
While heavyweight writers had penned previous drafts, Berman decided to bring the concept to acquaintance Alan Fox, an unknown screenwriter who’d written several unproduced scripts for players such as Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
The identity of the pilot was unknown due to the extent of the damage from the wreck, said spokesperson Sgt.
—Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Played by Day’s real-life wife, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, the woman of Charlie’s dreams (and stalkings) — whose real name is unknown — has been romantically involved with all the male members of the gang at some point since the series debut.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2025
While heavyweight writers had penned previous drafts, Berman decided to bring the concept to acquaintance Alan Fox, an unknown screenwriter who’d written several unproduced scripts for players such as Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
The identity of the pilot was unknown due to the extent of the damage from the wreck, said spokesperson Sgt.
—Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Played by Day’s real-life wife, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, the woman of Charlie’s dreams (and stalkings) — whose real name is unknown — has been romantically involved with all the male members of the gang at some point since the series debut.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
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For those unfamiliar with the inner workings of American rail, the current network is a patchwork.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Andrea Woods, a Department of Energy spokesperson, was unfamiliar with project specifics when The Enquirer called on July 31.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Reuniting Wells with former ER collaborators R. Scott Gemmill and Noah Wyle, the HBO Max procedural launched unexpectedly into the zeitgeist with its January premiere — thanks in part to weekly drops (how novel!) that saw the audience quickly pass 10 million per episode.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
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Instead, Olsen predicted Democrats might pursue a novel legal theory: that the U.S. Constitution implicitly prohibits mid-decade redistricting unless a court has ordered it.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His classical, sometimes obscure tastes contrasted with Pomeranz’s appreciation for Hollywood blockbusters, making their debates supremely entertaining as well as enlightening.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
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Some — like the emblem of the 101st Airborne and the 1st Cavalry — are easily recognizable but others are more obscure.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The craft beer industry is in a strange place right now.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Additionally, among employees recognized monthly, 82% feel enthusiastic about their jobs compared to a significantly lower percentage among unrecognized workers.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
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And that’s where not-for-profit hospitals—the often unrecognized but essential community anchors—step in.—
Russell Cox,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie turned the wizardly backstory into an epic adventure, opening a gateway for young unbeknownst fantasy fans everywhere while also delivering a classically wholesome story about the importance of family and a parent's unconditional love.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
1 July 2024
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For a surprise at the end, unbeknownst even to King, Winfrey arranged a path lined with sparklers, framing the couple in a golden glow against the night sky.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2024
Adjective
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The shift to hybrid and multicloud architectures has created unprecedented complexity.—
Chris McHenry,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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According to OpenAI’s leaders, the model brings unprecedented powers of reasoning, brings vibe coding to a new level, is better than ever at agentic AI tasks, and comes with a raft of new safety features.—
Eliza Strickland,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Elio — Disney and Pixar Animation’s summer box office flop — will try to find a new audience when the film arrives on digital streaming this week.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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The skid is a new season-long, surpassing two previous six-game losing streaks — all of which have come since the calendar turned to July.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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