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.
One of them mentioned, almost in passing, that his father, a retired dentist, had recently received an unsolicited mailing inviting him to invest in a private-credit fund.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
“Giving up the need to have your friend be more like you will reduce the likelihood of offering unsolicited advice or radiating silent disapproval,” says Lurtz, “and a huge source of tension just drops away.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
It was, he said, unsolicited investing advice from the guy polishing his wingtips.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
Back button hijacking is when a website interferes with a browser so the back button no longer takes users to the previous page, instead often keeping them on the site or presenting unsolicited ads.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
The more unsolicited information we provided, the more he might suspect something.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
