unread
Americanadjective
-
not read, as a letter or newspaper.
-
lacking in knowledge gained by reading; having read little or nothing.
She was intelligent but unread.
-
having little knowledge of a specific field.
a brilliant chemist unread in biology.
adjective
-
(of a book, newspaper, etc) not yet read
-
(of a person) having read little
-
not versed (in a specified field)
Etymology
Origin of unread
First recorded in 1425–75, unread is from the late Middle English word unred. See un- 1, read 2
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.
While editing helps with emails I do send, a bigger challenge remains: the 16,685 unread messages in my inbox.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026
Mackesy describes how during lockdown he received "terrifying numbers of emails" through his website, remembering one occasion when his phone said that he had 86,000 unread emails.
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025
How many unread text messages do you have?
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2025
There was a time when I would treat it like a social media app, clicking the mail icon on my phone, hoping for the excitement of an unread email.
From Slate • Nov. 17, 2024
Our stacks of Cosmopolitan were topped with an unread issue of Boy's Life or Sports Illustrated, and our decoupage projects were concealed beneath the sporting equipment we never asked for but always received.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
