unbidden
Americanadjective
-
not ordered or commanded; spontaneous.
-
not asked or summoned; uninvited.
adjective
-
not ordered or commanded; voluntary or spontaneous
-
not invited or asked
Etymology
Origin of unbidden
before 1050; Middle English unbiden, Old English unbēden. See un- 1, bidden
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.
He plays Patrick, the lead role in the short horror film Unbidden, directed by Andres Rothschild, which was shot near London.
From BBC • Jan. 18, 2023
Unbidden, she returned with a starter platter of local cheese, crab salad, octopus in oil, a pork pâté and fresh bread.
From Washington Post • Sep. 9, 2022
Unbidden, he will speak at length of the night that ended his old life, as though he’s still mounting a defense.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2021
Unbidden, uncertainty embraced Sandberg, and, in her second book, “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy,” she writes about the event and its aftermath.
From The New Yorker • May 4, 2017
Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
![]()
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.