unconditioned
Americanadjective
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not subject to conditions; absolute.
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Psychology. not proceeding from or dependent on a conditioning of the individual; natural; innate.
unconditioned behavior.
adjective
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psychol characterizing an innate reflex and the stimulus and response that form parts of it Compare conditioned
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metaphysics unrestricted by conditions; infinite; absolute
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without limitations; unconditional
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unconditioned
First recorded in 1625–35; un- 1 + conditioned
Explanation
An unconditioned behavior is not brought about by learning. Sneezing is an unconditioned behavior. Unconditioned also means without conditions, as in unconditioned love, which is love that will always be, even if your mate starts wearing socks with sandals. There are two sense of unconditioned, but they both involve things that happen regardless of outside events. An unconditioned behavior is innate — babies aren't taught (or conditioned) to cry, so that behavior is unconditioned. Other uses of unconditioned mean that something has no conditions and could last forever, like unconditioned peace, or even an unconditioned agreement that will be honored in any circumstances. No conditions can stop it.
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 will be unconditioned in what he chooses to interpret as Iranian surrender.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026
After the conditioning period was finished, the dog would respond by salivating when the bell was rung, even when the unconditioned stimulus, the food, was absent.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
The flip has to stay unconditioned or it won’t stand.
From New York Times ● Jan. 2, 2017
“There were still some times, besides the fact that I felt unconditioned, that I wasn’t really getting up field as much as I wanted to,” Williams said.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 14, 2015
In this expression with the primal elements, unconditioned, its tendency is to move in direct lines.
From Studies in the Out-Lying Fields of Psychic Science by Hudson Tuttle
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