unheard
Americanadjective
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not heard; not perceived by the ear.
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not given a hearing or audience.
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Archaic. unheard-of.
adjective
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not heard; not perceived by the ear
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not listened to or granted a hearing
his warning went unheard
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archaic unheard-of
Etymology
Origin of unheard
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English unherd. See un- 1, heard ( def. )
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.
Legal experts said such an action is unheard of.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"We also combined our legal Christian service with Jewish prayers and tradition, like breaking the glass. Totally unheard of then and ever since," she said, adding the nuptials even made the paper.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
"It's almost unheard of to get small cell lung cancer without some type of inhalational injury," he adds.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
At the time, “having to ask for anything in the workplace other than a maternity leave was unheard of,” said McGrail, who was working for a public-relations firm in New York City.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Somewhere else a bell rings, unheard by me.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
