unbeknownst to
idiom
chiefly US
: without being known about by (someone)
Unbeknownst to the students, the teacher had entered the room.
Examples of unbeknownst to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, unbeknownst to Donna, Sophie has invited three of her mother's former flames — Harry (Colin Firth), Bill (Stellan Skårsgard) and Sam (Pierce Brosnan) — to determine which one of them is her biological father.
—
Nicole Briese, People.com, 20 July 2025
For some reason, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, my sister and her husband decided not to tell their daughter that she was adopted.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 29 May 2025
But at this particular party, unbeknownst to us, things got out of hand.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
But unbeknownst to the locals, the Buckleys are in serious debt.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unbeknownst to
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.
Nicole Briese, People.com, 20 July 2025
For some reason, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, my sister and her husband decided not to tell their daughter that she was adopted.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 29 May 2025
But at this particular party, unbeknownst to us, things got out of hand.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
But unbeknownst to the locals, the Buckleys are in serious debt.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unbeknownst to
Cite this Entry
“Unbeknownst to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unbeknownst%20to. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share