unheard
Americanadjective
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not heard; not perceived by the ear.
-
not given a hearing or audience.
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Archaic. unheard-of.
adjective
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not heard; not perceived by the ear
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not listened to or granted a hearing
his warning went unheard
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archaic unheard-of
Etymology
Origin of unheard
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English unherd. See un- 1, heard ( def. )
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.
Schroden said he had seen "reports of similar events occasionally over the past couple of decades" and that "it's rare but not unheard of, though tragic in every case."
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
“I respect the effort, but I think a lot of students were left unheard and hungry.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
For decades, New York’s white-shoe law firms were shaped by a gentlemanly code in which poaching was unheard of and partner pay largely fell in line with seniority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
"We also combined our legal Christian service with Jewish prayers and tradition, like breaking the glass. Totally unheard of then and ever since," she said, adding the nuptials even made the paper.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
This was unheard of among Negroes in those days, especially in Lansing.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
