unresolved
Britishadjective
Explanation
The word unresolved may describe an argument that has not been solved, a question that remains unanswered, or a decision that has not been made — like the title of "Checkers Champion" after a tie game. The word unresolved is used for a situation that lacks a resolution, or ending. It can also describe unaddressed emotions, such as anger or sadness, as in the unresolved issues you have toward your hamster ever since it bit your finger. The word unresolved can also be used to describe musical dissonance — if you hear a chord in a symphony that makes you think the song isn’t over, the chord is probably unresolved.
Vocabulary lists containing unresolved
The Blood of Olympus
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"The American Pageant," Vocabulary from Chapters 36-37
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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.
“Our offices have seen a substantial increase in constituent cases involving pending renewals, with many remaining unresolved for more than six months,” the letter continued.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Addictions, compulsive work habits, emotional outbursts, chronic anxiety and even physical illness may result when trauma remains unresolved.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Iran's Tasnim news agency said based on their information key clauses of a possible agreement remained unresolved.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
I ask whether she thinks Britain's role in the Great Hunger is still unresolved.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
That Great Leap Forward poses two major unresolved questions, regarding its triggering cause and its geographic location.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
