unbeknown
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
Etymology
Origin of unbeknown
1630–40; un- 1 + beknown ( late Middle English beknowe, past participle of beknowen ); see be-, known
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 then added a a small line of code somewhere in the thousands of lines of letters, numbers and symbols into my project, unbeknown to me.
From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2026
On Wednesday, an exclusive group of 10 or so Paul Weiss partners met unbeknown to their longtime chairman, Brad Karp, to discuss whether he could continue to lead the law firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
But unbeknown to them, a little-known developer was readying a proposal that could transform the Marina’s skyline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
So how did the Earwigs gain this unlikely cult following unbeknown to its founding member?
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2025
We were waiting for Mr. Mwakangale of the Tanganyika African National Union, a member of Parliament, and unbeknown to us he had already called looking for us.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
