unchecked

British  

/ ʌnˈtʃɛkt /

adjective

1. not prevented from continuing or growing

   unchecked population growth

2. not examined or inspected

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adverb

1. without being stopped or hindered

   the virus could spread unchecked

2. 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

“One thing Devin is not is an unchecked autonomous system,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

The prince said he had felt the need to speak out because saying nothing allows "hate and extremism to flourish unchecked".

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Both cast debt as a bogeyman turning capitalism into an extraction device that, left unchecked or unwisely channeled, can take everything from any of us.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

Yaroslavsky supports increasing housing density near transit centers but said if left unchecked, the law could lead to more homes than can be accommodated by the city’s infrastructure.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Disease spread unchecked, weakening, crippling, and killing indiscriminately.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

Related Words

• rampant
• unbridled
• unhampered