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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of unknown
Shailene Woodley and Thomas Doherty are among the new cast members featured in a first look at season 2.
Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) is off to parts unknown, having left for the outside world at the end of season 1 of Hulu's Paradise.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 July 2025
Defendants in the lawsuit are the Will County sheriff’s office, a U.S. Secret Service agent and unknown members of the Will County sheriff’s office and U.S. Secret Service.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
According to the Amber Alert Tuesday, the boy was forcibly taken from his mother by an unknown suspect on Friday.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
The Red Clay Strays Just two years ago, Alabama country-rock band Red Clay Strays were somewhat unknown and way down on the UTBS lineup, playing an early set and small late-night showcase to a few hundred folks.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 July 2025
Defendants in the lawsuit are the Will County sheriff’s office, a U.S. Secret Service agent and unknown members of the Will County sheriff’s office and U.S. Secret Service.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
According to the Amber Alert Tuesday, the boy was forcibly taken from his mother by an unknown suspect on Friday.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
The Red Clay Strays Just two years ago, Alabama country-rock band Red Clay Strays were somewhat unknown and way down on the UTBS lineup, playing an early set and small late-night showcase to a few hundred folks.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
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People unfamiliar with certain disasters — such as out-of-town visitors caught in the Hill Country flooding — may be at higher risk during emergencies.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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The short clip features Maya locking herself in the bathroom of an unfamiliar home when all of a sudden an axe comes flying through the closed door.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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But in reality, many of the most successful companies didn’t start with novel inventions.—
Abdo Riani,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Her novel Tongue was published in English by Bloomsbury in 2009.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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In order to produce so many shows, Marvel had to mine the depths of its archives which led to productions based on obscure characters that many fans didn't care about.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Provider tax The bill includes a rather obscure change that could cost the state millions of dollars and, in turn, a reduction in services.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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The ever-shifting phases of Earth's moon present a wealth of targets for amateur astronomers to explore, ranging from magnificent craters and lunar seas to strange visual phenomena created as sunlight plays across the ancient surface, forming familiar shapes where none should be.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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No other high-profile footballer in the world has followed such a strange career arc, one that for at least two years has been leading him, circuitously but inexorably, to Saudi Arabia.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But this innovative research sheds light on hitherto unrecognized connections between the brain and the immune system, which could be helpful in developing new treatments against various pathogens.—
Paul Hsieh,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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First, The Good Fight goes criminally unrecognized for its entire run, and now Elsbeth can’t even get a guest nomination for putting on whole-ass musicals on network prime-time TV.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
19 July 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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This level of support by the federal government for a mining company is unprecedented, said Gracelin Baskaran, an expert on critical minerals at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
26 July 2025
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This is all to say that what is unprecedented in scale is not altogether without precedent.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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The sports arena floated as a solution to save the State Fair site never materialized, but new buildings did begin to replace the old on the fairgrounds, including a 1,000-seat amphitheater in 1974 and a new Coliseum in 1976.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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The 151st Kentucky Derby set new records for all-sources handle and viewership.—
Olivia Evans,
The Courier-Journal,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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