unseen
Americanadjective
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not seen; unperceived; unobserved; invisible.
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recognized or comprehended without prior study, as a written text or musical score.
adjective
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not observed or perceived; invisible
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(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.
With fond memories of living in the condo complex in his 20s, the 43-year-old public employee decided to buy a two-bedroom unit, sight unseen, for $260,000 in July 2024.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
There was a freedom to their batting hitherto unseen in this series so far.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Along the way, the bond markets have crossed milestones unseen in months, and even years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Since parting ways with the Pac-12 in 2021, Scott has operated largely unseen without completely stepping away from sports.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
As I stood in this state of indecision, there was a dry crack of wood and a careless disturbance of undergrowth perhaps fifty feet into the woods—something good-sized and unseen.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
