unparalleled
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of unparalleled
Explanation
If something's unparalleled, there's never been anything like it — such as a brilliant musical performance or a record-breaking time for an athlete. Remember parallel lines from your old geometry classes — lines running alongside each other always at the same distance that never meet and are essentially identical? Well, that's the idea unparalleled comes from — except the opposite (thus the "un"). Sporting achievements are particularly prone to being described as unparalleled, since athletes are always out to break records.
Vocabulary lists containing unparalleled
Frindle
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Herbert Hoover on "Rugged Individualism" (1928)
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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.
Five is nice, but 17 straight is a dynasty unparalleled in City Section history.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
Ternus gets to stay squarely fixed on what makes Apple great: an unparalleled user experience where the devices, software, and services work in harmony.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Our critic noted that “One comes away from this engaging show, which is marked by extraordinary loans, with a heightened understanding of just how difficult it is to account for Caravaggio’s unparalleled achievement.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
“Over the past decade, Allbirds has evolved into a lifestyle footwear brand known for modern design, innovative materials and unparalleled comfort,” Allbirds CEO Joe Vernachio said in a statement on Monday.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
It’s an emotional feeling, an emotional high that is basically unparalleled.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
