uncharted

American  

[uhn-chahr-tid] / ʌnˈtʃɑr tɪd /

adjective

1. not shown or located on a map; unexplored; unknown, as a place or region.

   the uncharted depths of space.

---

uncharted British  

/ ʌnˈtʃɑːtɪd /

adjective

1. (of a physical or nonphysical region or area) not yet mapped, surveyed, or investigated

   uncharted waters

   the uncharted depths of the mind

---

Usage

What’s the difference between uncharted and unchartered? Uncharted means unexplored or unmapped, as in uncharted territory or uncharted waters. Unchartered means not having (or not done under) a charter or some other kind of official authorization, as in an unchartered flight. It’s sometimes used to mean unauthorized or lawless, as in unchartered activity. The chart in uncharted refers to a map, but charted is not commonly used as an adjective—most people would say mapped. In contrast, both unchartered and chartered (meaning having a charter or officially authorized) are used.The two words are often used in much different contexts, but there are some cases where both could apply. For example, a remote parcel of land may be both uncharted (unmapped) and unchartered (not bound by any official charters or laws).Here’s an example of uncharted and unchartered used correctly in a sentence.Example: The movie is an adventure about a group of teens who take a secret, unchartered flight to explore an uncharted island. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between uncharted and unchartered.

Etymology

Origin of uncharted

First recorded in 1840–50; un- ¹ + chart + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Winners of the last Five Nations championship in 1999, Scotland are in uncharted waters in the Six Nations but they know that a bonus-point win over Ireland gives them the best chance of the title.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

All they knew was that the 2026 World Cup was heading into uncharted territory.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

“About 12 seconds into the opening night of Sphere with U2 back in ‘23, I thought ‘We have to do this, it’s completely uncharted territory!’

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

"We have entered a new field of research here, uncharted territory where many exciting discoveries are likely to be made," says Varykhalov.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

Other magical creatures inhabit places inaccessible to Muggles—one thinks of the Acromantula, deep in the uncharted jungle of Borneo, and the phoenix, nesting high on mountain peaks unreachable without the use of magic.

From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• far-off
• faraway
• remote
• undiscovered
• unexplored