unspoken

American  

[uhn-spoh-kuhn] / ʌnˈspoʊ kən /

adjective

1. implied or understood without being spoken or uttered.

2. not addressed (usually followed byto ).

3. not talking; silent.

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unspoken British  

/ ʌnˈspəʊkən /

adjective

1. understood without needing to be spoken; tacit

2. not uttered aloud

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Etymology

Origin of unspoken

First recorded in 1325–75, unspoken is from the Middle English word unspokyn. See un- ¹, spoken

Example Sentences

Same as Harold, my unspoken and maybe even unknown goal was life, but a better one.

From Salon

"It's also a film about the transmission of generational trauma across three generations in a family, and how taboos, unspoken things and secrets travel."

From Barron's

If Americans speak English, the unspoken logic went, the most American among us speak only English.

From Salon

There was an unspoken rule in the Masters household: The deaths of his mother and sister were not to be talked about, because the subject opened sores that hurt for days.

From Literature

But Takaichi has declined to retract her remarks, saying she was only stating longstanding, if largely unspoken, Japanese policy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• implicit
• implied
• tacit