unwitting
Americanadjective
-
not intentional or deliberate; inadvertent; accidental.
His insult, though unwitting, pained her.
-
not knowing; unaware; ignorant; oblivious; unconscious.
an unwitting person.
adjective
-
not knowing or conscious
-
not intentional; inadvertent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unwitting
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English unwittende; see un- 1, wit 2, -ing 2
Explanation
Use the adjective unwitting to describe someone who doesn't know certain important information, such as unwitting computer users who don't know that an online shopping site is tracking all their activity. Unwitting can also describe something you do almost automatically, like the unwitting way you double-check that the door is locked when leaving the house. It can also indicate that something is done without intention, like an unwitting arrival at a by-invitation-only event. Wit means "clever," so something that is unwitting is not clever.
Vocabulary lists containing unwitting
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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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.
Moscow has orchestrated sabotage attacks across Europe since invading Ukraine, often using unwitting recruits hired via social media.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Marines implanted an unwitting woman with a genetically modified embryo in order to produce one of its new class of supersoldiers.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Ads will invite individuals to speak on the phone with a hired “healthcare professional” who will rubber-stamp a prescription and authorize the compounded medication to be shipped directly to the unwitting patient.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
But “Blow Out” goes one step further by bringing Jack and Sally — two unwitting parties to the same wicked plot — together.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
His sense of purpose seemed like an unwitting challenge to my own.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
