unwitting

adjective

un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ How to pronounce unwitting (audio)
1
: not knowing : unaware
kept the truth from their unwitting friends
2
: not intended : inadvertent
an unwitting mistake
unwittingly adverb

Examples of unwitting in a Sentence

He kept the truth from his unwitting friends. an unwitting victim of fraud
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
GoFundMe has long struggled with fraud as people concoct stories of misfortune to sham unwitting donors out of cash. Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025 On the other side of the cup, a sniper, hugging the burlap tablecloth with his prone body, prepares to take out the unwitting dog. Han Ong, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025 The drone swooped past the initially unwitting soldier and opened fire with both of its shotgun barrels. David Axe, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025 Worm’s visualization of his collection, then, is an unwitting elegy of species pushed to the brink of existence by human pressures. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for unwitting 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwitting was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near unwitting

Cite this Entry

“Unwitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwitting. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

unwitting

adjective
un·​wit·​ting ˌən-ˈwit-iŋ How to pronounce unwitting (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not intended : inadvertent
an unwitting mistake
2
: not knowing : unaware
unwittingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unwitting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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