untouched
Americanadjective
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not touched or handled, as material.
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not explored or visited.
untouched lands.
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not eaten or drunk.
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remaining in a pristine state; unchanged.
an untouched innocent; an untouched world.
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not injured or hurt; undamaged.
untouched by the exploding bombs.
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not affected or altered.
She was untouched by the life around her.
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emotionally unmoved; indifferent.
She was left untouched by the music.
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not mentioned or described, as in conversation or a book.
an untouched subject.
adjective
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not used, handled, touched, etc
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not injured or harmed
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(postpositive) emotionally unmoved
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not changed, modified, or affected
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(of food or drink) left without being consumed
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not mentioned or referred to
he left the subject untouched
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of untouched
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at un- 1, touch, -ed 2
Explanation
Something untouched has literally not been touched (like the untouched spinach on your plate), or has not been emotionally moved (like the hardened criminal who remains untouched throughout his victim's testimony). If you're not moved to some emotion, you're untouched, and if your dog doesn't eat his dinner, you'll see an untouched bowl of kibble still sitting there in the morning. You might find it hard to remain untouched by the fresh, white, untouched snow. This adjective comes from touched, which can mean "emotionally moved" or "physically affected." Add the "not" prefix un-, and you get untouched.
Vocabulary lists containing untouched
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.
Once wary of artificial intelligence, Hollywood is now striking up partnerships with AI start-ups and weaving the technology into productions more and more openly -- all while insisting the creative process itself will remain untouched.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
This means leaving a lot of material untouched.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Sinibaldi also plans to investigate whether exhaust molecules remain only on the surface of the ice, leaving deeper material untouched and still suitable for scientific study.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
In addition to the burned contents of the warehouse, millions of pounds of food are also being stored in a portion of the building that was untouched by the fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Do you picture it as an untouched, green wilderness with a small scattered population of primitive people, or with no people at all?
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
