unconditional
Americanadjective
-
not limited by conditions; absolute.
an unconditional promise.
- Synonyms:
- categorical, unqualified, unreserved
-
Mathematics. absolute.
adjective
-
without conditions or limitations; total
unconditional surrender
-
maths (of an equality) true for all values of the variable
(x+1)>x is an unconditional equality
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unconditional
First recorded in 1660–70; un- 1 + conditional
Explanation
Whether it’s love, support, or surrender, if something’s unconditional it’s absolute and not subject to any special terms or conditions: it’ll happen no matter what else happens. Breaking apart the word unconditional can help you remember its meaning. Combine the prefix un-, meaning “not,” with conditional, meaning "dependent on something else," and you get an adjective for something that holds true without any conditions attached. The unconditional forgiveness you promised your brother means you forgive him no matter what. You’re not attaching any requirements — like you’ll only forgive him if he’s nicer to you or pays you money. You just forgive him — it's absolute.
Vocabulary lists containing unconditional
Tuesdays with Morrie
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Code Talker
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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.
A Reform UK spokesman said: "This was a personal unconditional gift that was given before he was elected. We are confident everything has been declared in accordance with the rules."
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei visited the White House, where both sides struck a friendly tone, following a dispute over the tech company's refusal to grant the military unconditional use of its AI models.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
And the one thing that we do know about her is that she has an unconditional love for her child.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
The one possible redeeming point would have been unconditional free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
“It takes this kind of unconditional love— somebody seeing this value in you, even when they know the truth.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
