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
The conditioning stimulus that researchers associated with the unconditioned response was the ringing of a bell.
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
The form of the proposition in which this second act takes to itself expression, the Ego is not = Not-Ego, is unconditioned, not derivable from the first.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various
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.
