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

But for others, it is held in place by what is left unsaid.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

With its bicycle rides, family meals and general aura of awakening, “Miroirs No. 3” unfolds with cautious hope, if only because we know a reckoning is coming and what’s unsaid will have to be addressed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

“There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions,” Mr. Zelensky said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Left unsaid is how Argentina would repay the U.S.

From Salon • Sep. 26, 2025

I look at my watch and decide to save myself from any more unsaid criticism.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King