unsolicited
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of unsolicited
Explanation
Something unsolicited was not asked for and possibly not wanted. Unsolicited calls and advice come whether we want them or not. One very common use of this word is in discussing "unsolicited advice" or feedback, which definitely has a negative spin. If someone is butting into your business, telling you what you should do, they're giving unsolicited advice. Junk mail is unsolicited. Phone calls trying to sell you something are unsolicited. Unsolicited seems negative, but it can be used positively. If you give compliments that are unsolicited, then you offer them spontaneously and honestly — that's something people like.
Vocabulary lists containing unsolicited
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 7
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One of Us Is Lying
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Summer of the Mariposas
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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.
Johnson recommended that beneficiaries be careful to guard against unsolicited callers claiming to be from insurers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
France has banned unsolicited telemarketing phone calls, in what a consumer group is hailing as a "small revolution" for the sales industry.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
From Tuesday, unsolicited calls are prohibited for businesses in all sectors - but there are some exceptions.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Egan-Jones said it uses the same methodology whether ratings are private or public, solicited or unsolicited.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The Time cover story, an all-purpose certification of celebrity in that era, enhanced Ernest’s fame among the lay public, which was happy to offer unsolicited advice and criticism to the brilliant young American scientist.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
