unattended

[ uhn-uh-ten-did ]

adjective

1. without attendance; lacking an audience, spectators, etc.:

   The decision was made out of the public eye, in an unattended meeting.

2. not accompanied; not associated with, as a concomitant effect or result:

   a flash of lightning unattended by thunder.

3. not cared for or ministered to:

   unattended patients;

   an unattended injury.

4. not taken in charge; not watched over:

   Many forest fires start from unattended campfires.

   Careful, or your unattended baggage may be picked up by airport security.

5. not accompanied, as by an attendant or companion; alone:

   The queen was unattended.

6. unheeded; not listened to; disregarded:

   A number of unattended warning signals preceded the explosion.

7. not tended to; not done or carried out, as a task (usually followed by to ):

   He left his studies unattended to.

unattended

/ ˌʌnəˈtɛndɪd /

adjective

1. not looked after or cared for
2. unaccompanied or alone
3. not listened to

Word History and Origins

Origin of unattended¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- ¹ + attend + -ed ²

Example Sentences

It’s also reiterating a recommendation from last week against parking indoors and leaving the car’s to charge overnight unattended.

From TechCrunch

The bike cover includes a front lock-hole design, providing additional security for the bike when it’s unattended.

From Popular-Science

Sumita Datta, an assistant professor of economics, had been admitted to the hospital with covid but was left unattended for around 14 hours.

From MIT Technology Review

Food scraps at barbecuesTrouble can arise at food-related gatherings, when dogs swipe at unattended plates or break into the garbage.

From Washington Post

Pets cannot be left in vehicles or tied up unattended—a precaution that could save them from extreme heat.

From Outside Online

The sweep team was leading the way when it came upon an unattended red car parked along the route.

From The Daily Beast

In the opening scene, a 10-year old Steven notices an unattended backpack in a train station.

From The Daily Beast

But McKenna was not going to leave Glover sprawled unattended in the street.

From The Daily Beast

In the script, the cheetahs drift from their owner and roam suburban Mexico unattended.

From The Daily Beast

It collects a growing quantity of intelligence, much of which goes forgotten and unattended.

From The Daily Beast

This saves the embarrassment of crossing the room entirely unattended, while it shows others that you are a resident at the house.

From Project Gutenberg

Miss Hedworth had come to her dwelling unattended and under a false name.

From Project Gutenberg

You must carry your own bag when you stumble unattended from the train.

From Project Gutenberg

The daughter of Arbaces does not travel unattended so much as a bowshot from the city walls?

From Project Gutenberg

The world will easily conclude, whether such unattended generals can ever be capable of making a revolution in Parnassus.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• neglected