unwittingly

[ uhn-wit-ing-lee ]

/ ʌnˈwɪt ɪŋ li /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for unwittingly on Thesaurus.com

adverb

without meaning to; unintentionally: Users who visit infected websites could unwittingly download malware that steals information in their computers.

through ignorance; through lack of knowledge or awareness: A number of women have been unwittingly lured into this scheme by being told they were working on a very important project.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of unwittingly

unwitting + -ly

Words nearby unwittingly

unwished, unwished-for, unwit, unwitnessed, unwitting, unwittingly, unwitty, unwonted, unworkable, unworldly, unworried

How to use unwittingly in a sentence

In “Philoctetes,” a soldier exiled to an island must deal with agonizing wounds, and in “Women of Trachis,” a wife carries out a plot against her unfaithful husband that unwittingly ends with his fatal poisoning.
During a pandemic, the medical profession turns to Greek tragedy — to heal|Peter Marks|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
To make things even more complicated, younger people are often asymptomatic, meaning they could unwittingly transmit the virus, “especially during a multigenerational celebratory Thanksgiving meal,” Walensky said.
Thanksgiving advice for college students: If you’re going home, start preparing soon, experts say.|Allyson Chiu|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
Pennsylvania’s Rejection of 372,000 Ballot Applications Bewilders Voters and Strains Election StaffMost rejected applications were deemed duplicates because voters had unwittingly checked a request box during the primary.
Electionland 2020: Absentee Vote Tracking, Drop Boxes, Poll Watchers and More|by Rachel Glickhouse, ProPublica, and Joshua Eaton, Lauren Rosenthal and Thy Anh Vo for ProPublica|October 16, 2020|ProPublica
When on-campus housing is close to normal capacity, students often have roommates, shared bathrooms, and other opportunities to unwittingly spread the virus.
Why some colleges win against Covid-19, and others lose|Katherine Harmon Courage|October 6, 2020|Vox

I was born deaf, and people hearing me speak for the first time sometimes unwittingly attempt to place my “accent” — a faux pas I usually brush aside.
Will America’s Police Finally Listen to Deaf People?|Charu Kasturi|September 30, 2020|Ozy
Unwittingly or not, modern feminism is leaving its disabled sisters out of the discussion.
#YesAllWomen, but Not Really: How Feminism Leaves the Disabled Behind|Elizabeth Heideman|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It struck me that Charles has, albeit unwittingly, accelerated the tendency for the bad to drive out the good.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It seems that, in doing away with patriarchal authority, we have also, perhaps unwittingly, killed off all the grown-ups.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Sept 8-14|John Boot|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sutherland had unwittingly purchased the paintings from a forger in California on eBay.
Why eBay Is an Art Forger’s Paradise|Lizzie Crocker|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At least they satirize entitlement instead of unwittingly enacting (and celebrating) it.
Zach Braff’s Irritating Sense of Entitlement|Andrew Romano|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He shrank, as from some one who inflicted pain as a child, unwittingly, to see what the effect would be.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
There is a natural tendency in men of genius to unwittingly return, under new forms, to old ideas.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
Even the Red Cross had unwittingly spread its protection over more than one German agent.
The Amazing Interlude|Mary Roberts Rinehart
The question was put unwittingly, but being so put Queeker stammered, and again blushed.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
She had thought no further than to hide her shame, and in doing it she had unwittingly disinherited her own cousin's child.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume III (of 3)|Charles James Wills

unwittingly

Origin of unwittingly

Words nearby unwittingly

Words related to unwittingly

How to use unwittingly in a sentence