unseen
Americanadjective
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not seen; unperceived; unobserved; invisible.
-
recognized or comprehended without prior study, as a written text or musical score.
adjective
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not observed or perceived; invisible
-
(of passages of writing) not previously seen or prepared
noun
Etymology
Origin of unseen
Explanation
Unseen things are either not noticed or hidden from view, like the unseen subway conductor whose muffled voice you hear making announcements about train delays. If your goal is to be unseen as you sneak in late to your cousin's wedding, you're hoping that no one observes you. Other things are unseen simply because it's not possible to see them: "She was aware of the ghost as a chilly presence in the room, although it remained unseen." The adjective unseen is formed by adding the prefix un-, "not," to seen.
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.
His trail-cam compilation, “An Unseen World,” depicting a dizzying array of wildlife, gains distribution by the United Nations; podcasts and Instagram posts bring the burning Amazon to a worldwide audience.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026
Unseen forces drive a massive plateau of rock upward, carving spectacular features that one day will have names: Grand Canyon, Arches, Monument Valley.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2024
Seen and Unseen, at Ferens Art Gallery, also includes work by Mr Shoa’s childhood friend and fellow artist Desmond Haughton.
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2024
Unseen voices abound, and dead people are frequently seen.
From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024
The Unseen City, it read, in the calligraphy he’d learned at the abbey.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
