Showing results for "unsaid"

• past tense form of unsay.
• past participle of unsay.

unsaid

¹ American  

[uhn-sed] / ʌnˈsɛd /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of unsay.

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unsaid ² American  

[uhn-sed] / ʌnˈsɛd /

adjective

1. not said; thought but not mentioned or discussed; unstated.

   It was best left unsaid.

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unsaid British  

/ ʌnˈsɛd /

adjective

1. not said or expressed; unspoken

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Etymology

Origin of unsaid

before 1000; Middle English unsa ( i ) d, Old English unsǣd; see un- ¹, said ¹

Explanation

If something hasn't been spoken out loud, it's unsaid. Even when something is unsaid, its meaning is sometimes understood anyway. It's more common to use the adjective unspoken when you're talking about something that's implied indirectly but not articulated in words, but you can use unsaid this way too. In print, you're most likely to see it in its role as the past tense of unsay: "Once you've said something mean, it can't be unsaid."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unsaid

Also left unsaid is how quickly agentic AI adoption would spread.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

There’s a reason in life for the way life evolves, and I think one of those is the unsaid, and the unsaid is a beautiful thing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

But the present and possibly future Green Lanterns were summoned there for a reason best left unsaid here, and in keeping with HBO’s extensive spoiler embargo.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Left unsaid was whether Tehran is prepared to permanently drop its demand that it should be able to collect tolls from transiting commercial vessels and if those negotiations would lead to a fully reopened waterway.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

He wanted to continue, “—any more than you could, sir,” but he left the last unsaid.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck