unset

American  

[uhn-set] / ʌnˈsɛt /

adjective

1. not set; not solidified or made firm, as concrete or asphalt.

2. (of a gemstone) not mounted in a setting.

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unset British  

/ ʌnˈsɛt /

adjective

1. not yet solidified or firm

2. (of a gem) not yet in a setting

3. (of textual matter) not yet composed

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Etymology

Origin of unset

1350–1400; Middle English: (of a time) unappointed; see un- ², set

Explanation

If you didn't bake the cheesecake for long enough before you pulled it from the oven, it might still be unset. Something that's unset has not yet hardened or turned into a solid state. Usually, unset is used when referring to substances that need to firm up before being used or consumed — think concrete, glue, pudding, or gelatin. The word is also sometimes used to refer to precious stones, like diamonds or rubies, that haven't yet been made into jewelry by being mounted on a metal frame. A bag of unset gems might be a nice gift for a collector or jeweler, but you couldn't wear them on your body.

Example Sentences

For Dorothy, the lover is an aqua-man monster named Larry who finds her perfect even in her bathrobe, her hair unset.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023

Rod Brind’Amour wouldn’t say definitively when that would be, though he noted the extra rest from the series schedule — still unset as of Monday’s practice — could help.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2023

"This will happen soon - an attache to the fleet," Eitan Naeh told Israel's Army Radio, adding that a date was yet unset.

From Reuters • Mar. 28, 2022

While an election date remains unset, labor advocates and experts say a union win of this size could spur further labor organizing across North Carolina.

From Washington Times • Jul. 13, 2020

She didn’t care what the buyers thought of her, dragging about in her bathrobe, her hair unset.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen