as in ignorant
lacking in education or the knowledge gained from books
an officer who seemed to be completely unread in military theory
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Recent Examples of unread
Unlike standard inboxes that list threads by recency or unread status, its algorithms rank and surface communications based on strategic signals like hiring, fundraising, or partnership cues.
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Jason Phillips, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
The year 1939 also saw the publication by Viking of James Joyce’s final novel, Finnegans Wake, surely one of the most difficult (and perhaps most unread) novels in the Western canon.
—Paul Slovak
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
The congratulations text messages were still unread.
—Alla Adam, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Since people are not prone to enjoying reminders of their ignorance, their unread books push them toward, if not mastery, then at least a ever-expanding understanding of competence.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 28 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for unread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unread
Adjective
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On its face, the government's defense appears to be that the individuals behind these statements are ignorant or incompetent, or both.—
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The citizens of Oz are treated as no more than an undifferentiated crowd of extras, an ignorant and finally disposable monolith.—
Adjective
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Don't feel afraid to play with bold (but dark) colors and various materials.—
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Open my soul to the vast dark places.—
Cite this Entry
“Unread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unread. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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