unchecked
Britishadjective
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not prevented from continuing or growing
unchecked population growth
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not examined or inspected
adverb
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without being stopped or hindered
the virus could spread unchecked
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without being examined or inspected
our luggage passed unchecked through customs
Explanation
If something isn't held back or restrained, it's unchecked, like the unchecked growth of the weeds in your neighbor's garden. Use unchecked to describe things that are increasing or growing, especially if they're unwanted. The unchecked sprawl of a city might result in the loss of animal habitats, and your class's unchecked chatter will eventually make it impossible for you to hear the teacher when he tries to get your attention. This word comes from the verb check, "to hold or control," the way you control your opponent's king in a game of chess by putting it in check.
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.
“Left unchecked, it could outrun our ability to understand and control these systems, and so must be pursued very carefully, if at all,” he added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
Among the president’s advisors, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the Office of the National Cyber Director have expressed the greatest concern with the potential of an unchecked intelligence explosion, the source said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
"There is a growing perception among residents that the problem remains unaddressed and the situation is continuing unchecked," he wrote.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
Scientists say human behavior, including the unchecked burning of fossil fuels, is warming the global climate and interrupting weather patterns.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
But over the decade following the riot, gangs and organized crime continued to operate unchecked by the mayor, angering enough citizens that Thompson was voted out in 1931, never to hold office again.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
