unaware

[uhn-uh-wair]

adjective

1. not aware or conscious; unconscious.

   to be unaware of any change.

   Synonyms: unknowing, ignorant, unsuspecting

adverb

1. unawares.

unaware

/ ˌʌnəˈwɛə /

adjective

1. (postpositive) not aware or conscious (of)

   unaware of the danger, he ran across the road

2. not fully cognizant of what is going on in the world

   he's the most unaware person I've ever met

adverb

1. a variant of unawares

Other Word Forms

• unawarely adverb
• unawareness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unaware¹

First recorded in 1585–95; un- ¹ + aware; compare Middle English unywar ( y- )

Example Sentences

"The Russians could not have been unaware that they were targeting civilians. This is terrorism, which the world has no right to ignore," Zelensky wrote on X.

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“His rope didn’t reach the bag’s location by many feet, but he seemed unaware of that fact,” Evans wrote.

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During Indiana Fever exit interviews Thursday, Clark said she was unaware of Collier’s unabashed finger-pointing, which went like this:

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As for the timing of subsidy discussions, could Johnson be unaware that ACA insurers need to know what the subsidies will be in 2026 in order to estimate their costs and therefore set their premiums?

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Some of those who spoke to the BBC said they were unaware of the shortages elsewhere in the country.

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Related Words

• heedless 
• negligent 
• oblivious 
• unconcerned 
• unfamiliar 
• uninformed