unrecognized
Britishadjective
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not recognized or identified
hitherto unrecognized planets
-
not given formal acknowledgment of legal status
the unrecognized Communist Workers' Party
Explanation
Anything that has been overlooked or that hasn't been noticed before is unrecognized. Your brother may insist that his unrecognized singing talent will make him famous some day, despite the fact that he can barely carry a tune. Things that simply haven't been discovered yet are unrecognized, like an unrecognized case of pneumonia that doctors initially diagnosed as a bad cold. And qualities that aren't given the proper amount of attention are also unrecognized. It wasn't until your soccer coach had you sub in for an injured forward that she discovered your unrecognized talent for playing offense.
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.
The researchers also restored a third species that had gone unrecognized for decades.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Penn State’s Sigma Chi chapter operates independently from the school, according to Penn State’s running list of suspended and unrecognized groups, and isn’t subject to university oversight or regulations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
There are many unrecognized trade-offs to home ownership that can make renting a better economic choice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Penn State researchers have now identified a previously unrecognized structure that may control much of this activity.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
But, alas, like that of so many great artists in history, Shirley’s genius went unrecognized.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
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.
