1
as in unfamiliar
happening or existing without one's knowledge
unknown to me was the fact that while I was out, my family was hurriedly preparing a surprise birthday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in novel
not known or experienced before
becoming a father brought unknown joy to his life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscure
not widely known
looking for a relatively unknown singer to record the song
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unknown
The person who called said an unknown man dropped her off about four hours earlier.
—
Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2026
Investigators believe two unidentified men were in an unknown vehicle when shots were fired and struck the victim.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
The cause of the break is currently unknown, and the incident has been reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, per CBS affiliate KEYE.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Fox News Digital obtained a 911 call placed by an unknown woman at the same house where Spencer and Monique were killed.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unknown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unknown
Adjective
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And to folks unfamiliar with the IP system, that makes some superficial sense.—
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He was brought in mid-season with a plan to develop him as a wide attacker and asked to lead an attack in an unfamiliar striker position.—
Adjective
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By grafting old-school procedural pleasures onto a 24-esque real-time format, the show produced a genuinely novel structure in the post-prestige era that was impossible to look away from.—
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May 5 Schumacher is really funny (her hilarious novel Dear Committee Member won the Thurber Prize)!—
Adjective
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Gardenia x daruma is an obscure dwarf hybrid that is hardy down to 20 degrees and, planted on its own, grows no more than three feet tall with small flowers and leaves.—
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Advertisement The Epstein case is yet another reminder of how power can both obscure harm and suppress the voices of survivors.—
Adjective
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Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie turned the wizardly backstory into an epic adventure, opening a gateway for young unbeknownst fantasy fans everywhere while also delivering a classically wholesome story about the importance of family and a parent's unconditional love.—
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For a surprise at the end, unbeknownst even to King, Winfrey arranged a path lined with sparklers, framing the couple in a golden glow against the night sky.—
Adjective
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The sounds had become a strange new normal for the diverse Central neighborhood.—
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And there was a strange preoccupation with running out of time, even though the show ended a good 15 minutes early as if the performers didn’t understand their own timeline.—
Adjective
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First, the Bonus Jonas climbed off the stage and walked through the crowd while singing an unrecognized song to the audience.—
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The latter was embodied flawlessly by Rhea Seehorn, seemingly emerging as far more than every TV critic’s favorite unrecognized actor.—
Adjective
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Safavi described the scale of the demonstrations as unprecedented.—
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Here, sea level rise is accelerating at some of the most extreme rates on Earth, while hurricanes increasingly are swirling ashore with an unprecedented ferociousness.—
Adjective
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The interdisciplinary approach brought the duke’s life and death to a stunning clarity — indicating how analyses can shed new light on age-old mysteries, even murders.—
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While earning a master's degree in exercise and coaching science at University College Dublin, she was introduced to CrossFit and discovered a new kind of challenge with its emphasis on versatility and constant adaptation.—
Cite this Entry
“Unknown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unknown. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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