unspoken

adjective

un·​spo·​ken ˌən-ˈspō-kən How to pronounce unspoken (audio)
: not spoken : expressed or understood without being directly stated
an unspoken agreement/assumption
an unspoken rule
Phrases
unspoken to
: not spoken to
… she had sat the whole evening through in the same chair without occupation, not speaking, and unspoken to.Anthony Trollope

Examples of unspoken in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web All Claire Denis’s films have so much that is mysterious and unspoken, but this one really lives in the dark. Kim Gordon, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Filmmaker Jude Chehab documents the unspoken ties that have bonded her mother, grandmother and herself to the mysterious organization. Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024 When the Fab Five lost, the news was met with an unspoken, and sometimes loudly spoken, glee. Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2024 Personal commitments can subtly alter work dynamics, leading to unspoken changes in behavior and expectations within the team. Steve Shrout, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 The unspoken theme was how extremely high stakes this pivotal stretch feels. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Lewis’ presence was an unspoken reminder that Jackson had also been a child star, landing his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 at age 11, fronting The Jackson 5. Paul Grein, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2024 Slowly integrating himself into Wei’s family life, Shuo discovers that their comfortable existence is shadowed by unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Jan. 2024 Pre-covid, there was an unspoken rule that teachers retire in the system. Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unspoken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unspoken was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near unspoken

Cite this Entry

“Unspoken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unspoken. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on unspoken

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