unaware
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
-
(postpositive) not aware or conscious (of)
unaware of the danger, he ran across the road
-
not fully cognizant of what is going on in the world
he's the most unaware person I've ever met
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unaware
First recorded in 1585–95; un- 1 + aware; compare Middle English unywar ( see y-)
Explanation
Unaware is simply the opposite of "aware." If you are unaware, you have no idea what's going on. To be unaware is to be totally incognizant (but not incontinent). To be "caught unawares" means you were caught off guard or by surprise. Either way you've got your head in the clouds about something. Now some people might say that ignorance is bliss, but the guy in the crosswalk who was unaware of the bus barreling down on him at full speed might disagree.
Vocabulary lists containing unaware
Novel Study: Of Mice and Men, Chapters 1–3
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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"Shakespeare dumbed down in comic strips for bored pupils"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There were 10,000 empty seats that evening, with the band performing for some 25,000 fans who were entirely unaware that they were witnessing The Beatles’ last hurrah before a paying audience.
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026
When the shaking finally paused, Quivera rushed out of his second-floor apartment, unaware that he was still in his underwear, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
Davis insisted he was unaware of the deception.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
Speaking at the end of the fourth day of the second Test, Tongue said he was unaware of the score Stokes made for Durham.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
I stood right beside Alexia now, but she remained unaware.
From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
