unanswered
Britishadjective
Explanation
If something is unanswered, it gets no response, even when one is asked for or expected. So that unanswered text message? It hasn't gotten a reply. An unanswered phone call isn't answered but instead just rings and rings endlessly. An unanswered question hovers there without a response, like when your dad asks, "Who's responsible for this mess?" and none of your siblings says a thing. If you write dozens of letters to your favorite Hollywood star but don't get a reply, those are (sadly) unanswered too.
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.
How life began on Earth remains one of science's greatest unanswered questions.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
The data released in June only tracks enrollment through February 2026, so it leaves some unanswered questions, such as how many people found other coverage and how many are uninsured.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
This unanswered question lingers, along with an atmosphere of loneliness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
As David and Ally anxiously await the verdict of the trial, one key question remains unanswered - what will happen to Marcus and the other babies.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Apart from a string of repeated questions which remained unanswered, Emily’s letters were mostly about the evacuees.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
