unsung hero

phrase

: one that has not received proper recognition
Banana bread is the unsung hero of cutting back on kitchen waste.—Kaitlyn McInnis

Examples of unsung hero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Dominic Smith Smith was an unsung hero early in the season, but his bat, along with the rest of the team, has cooled down over the last two months. — Jesús Cano, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, who frustrated the Brazilians on several occasions, has been an unsung hero. — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Soft-side, an unsung hero While reputation is one thing, the numbers tell a different story. — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Sep. 2024

Rhymes for unsung hero

See All Rhymes for unsung hero

Browse Nearby Words

unsung
unsung hero
unsunned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsung hero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsung%20hero. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of highfalutin

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All