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Can you be scathed instead of unscathed?
We often hear of a person coming through some difficult circumstance, or dangerous endeavor, and “emerging unscathed,” yet we rarely hear of anyone “emerging scathed.” Why is this? Scathe is a word: it may function as a noun (“harm, injury”) or as a verb (“to do harm to,” “to assail with withering denunciation”). It is not as commonly found as it once was, and now primarily serves as the basis for the adjective scathing (“bitterly severe”) or for the latter portion of unscathed. So you can say that someone “emerged scathed” if you wish, but be advised that it will have a curiously archaic sound to it.
Examples of unscathed in a Sentence
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
The woman with Tracy performed a delicate operation to remove the ring, dress unscathed and get it back on Stone’s middle finger.
—Lindsey Bahr, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Teachers did not get off unscathed Even with efforts to shield teachers from layoffs, more than 1,900 pink slips were sent to members of the California Teachers Association by March 13, according to the union.
—Edsource, Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
Trump said the strikes had left oil infrastructure unscathed.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unscathed
Cite this Entry
“Unscathed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unscathed. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unscathed
adjective
