unwittingly
Americanadverb
-
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.
Etymology
Origin of unwittingly
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.
And, as much as I hate to unwittingly side with network executives, a new iteration that featured Gellar as anything other than its shining star wouldn’t have the dynamism of the original series.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who also made 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie together, Project Hail Mary follows a former molecular biologist who unwittingly embarks on an important intergalactic mission.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
As AI-assisted writing spreads, prose quality becomes a weaker signal of case quality—and firms that equate “well written” with “more legitimate” may be unwittingly favoring AI-assisted complaints.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
The nation faces some tough questions following the unwittingly hilarious performance of U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026
To be alone was his desire, for he feared the evil he might do or say unwittingly.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
