unheard-of

adjective

un·​heard-of ˌən-ˈhərd-ˌəv How to pronounce unheard-of (audio)
-ˌäv
: previously unknown
especially : unprecedented
moving at unheard-of speeds

Examples of unheard-of in a Sentence

houses selling at unheard-of prices
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.
The big picture: The wildfires are the result of an unheard-of combination of factors at this time of year — the worst high wind event in Southern California since 2011, plus some of the driest conditions on record for early January. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025 Workers wore special hard hats and glare-free goggles, and Strauss insisted on an unheard-of construction feature: a $130,000 safety net. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Jan. 2025 The Kia Forum was strewn with scannable codes to learn more about the tour’s impact, and the arena provided an unheard-of amount of vegan options, including beloved Angeleno vendors Donut Friend and Monty’s Good Burger. Julia MacCary, Variety, 3 Jan. 2025 The rate and severity of turbulence is increasing as global temperatures rise, but extreme cases of turbulence remain rare and fatal incidents are all but unheard-of. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unheard-of 

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unheard-of was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near unheard-of

Cite this Entry

“Unheard-of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unheard-of. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

unheard-of

adjective
un·​heard-of
-ˌəv,
-ˌäv
: previously unknown : unprecedented
moving at unheard-of speeds

More from Merriam-Webster on unheard-of

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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