unknown

adjective

ˌən-ˈnōn How to pronounce unknown (audio)
Definition of unknownnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unknown Astronomers like Wainer knew from prior research that Andromeda saw a burst of star formation about 2 billion years ago (possibly as a result of a collision with an unknown galaxy). — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Cohen created a counter-text, a luscious version of Arendt’s unknown sentimental education. — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Program would be mandatory At least 111 substances of unknown safety have been added to foods, drinks and supplements sold in the United States without alerting the FDA, according to a study released this March. — Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 Others have poured unknown liquids on them or thrown bottles at their heads. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
  1. unfamiliar
  2. novel
  3. obscure
  4. unbeknownst
  5. strange
  6. unrecognized
  7. unprecedented
  8. new
Adjective
  • People interested in donating should visit the organizations' official websites directly rather than relying on donation links circulating through unfamiliar social media accounts or messages.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But a cleaner screen isn’t necessarily a more usable one if customers have to hunt for important functions, decipher unfamiliar icons or struggle to understand what the product is doing.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of unfamiliar
Adjective
  • The novel delves into the war experience of Palestinian women.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers in South Korea have recently developed a novel 3D printing method that allows soft actuators made from a single material to stretch or contract when exposed to heat.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of novel
Adjective
  • Beyond those circles, though, the English-language broadcaster that serves as Taiwan’s main international messaging outlet remains relatively obscure.
    — Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • On the Japanese side of the intervention, Tokyo also refrained from selling Treasuries and instead tapped an obscure Federal Reserve tool called the Foreign and International Monetary Authorities Repo Facility.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • However, unbeknownst to the girls, the men left the original villa setting and snuck away to Casa Amor, a second filming location where six bombshells in sexy costumes were waiting to steal guys' hearts.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • That same night, unbeknownst to friends and family, the couple spontaneously wed in a courthouse wedding.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Definition of unbeknownst
Adjective
  • Investigators later ruled out trains and power lines as possible causes — and traced the fire’s point of origin to the same spot Child witnessed the man’s strange behavior.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And Dad actually makes an uncredited vocal cameo on one of the album’s more blessedly strange tracks.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Because symptoms are delayed and variable, many cases initially go unrecognized or are mistaken for other allergic or gastrointestinal disorders.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The company said commercial remaining performance obligations, a measure of unearned revenue and unrecognized revenue, increased 8% to $678 billion from the previous quarter.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 29 July 2026
Definition of unrecognized
Adjective
  • The site will probe the internal structure of protons, neutrons and atomic nuclei with unprecedented precision.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • With ocean temperatures rising at unprecedented rates, warmer northern coastal waters may be enabling the rays to arrive in these waters earlier and to stay longer.
    — Sanidhya Sharma, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of unprecedented
Adjective
  • Balancing privacy and publicity isn’t new, says Alice Marshall, who runs her own public relations agency handling luxury travel clients.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • After years of slow progress, a new development in in a Colorado town is finally close to getting the green light.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of new

Browse Nearby Words

unknowledgeable
unknown
unlace
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Cite this Entry

“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unknown for Spanish Speakers

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