unrecognized
Britishadjective
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not recognized or identified
hitherto unrecognized planets
-
not given formal acknowledgment of legal status
the unrecognized Communist Workers' Party
Explanation
Anything that has been overlooked or that hasn't been noticed before is unrecognized. Your brother may insist that his unrecognized singing talent will make him famous some day, despite the fact that he can barely carry a tune. Things that simply haven't been discovered yet are unrecognized, like an unrecognized case of pneumonia that doctors initially diagnosed as a bad cold. And qualities that aren't given the proper amount of attention are also unrecognized. It wasn't until your soccer coach had you sub in for an injured forward that she discovered your unrecognized talent for playing offense.
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.
Early identification is particularly important because the first signs of schizophrenia often appear during adolescence but may go unrecognized for an extended period.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
Their distinct identities had gone unrecognized until researchers examined their DNA.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
In this way, “The Savage Mind” means to interrogate the unresolved, even unrecognized, conundrums of identity and race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
Altermagnetism represents a previously unrecognized symmetry class of matter and has revealed unexpected connections to several major areas of modern physics, including topological phenomena, unconventional superconductivity, and quantum materials with strong interactions between electrons.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026
The beetles, at first unrecognized, were finally identified as a common inhabitant of the main islands of Japan.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
