unknown quantity
noun
: someone or something whose abilities or characteristics are not yet known
If you've never been published before, you're an unknown quantity, so you're going to have difficulty selling your first novel.
Examples of unknown quantity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Vorhees Vorhees is an intriguing but unknown quantity.
—
C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2024
Water-guzzling factories are also coming under criticism, while an unknown quantity of water is siphoned off by organized crime groups to maintain lucrative avocado orchards that have sprung up near the distant reservoirs that supply water to Mexico City.
—Emily Green, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024
None of us, Moreno seems to be saying, is a truly unknown quantity.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023
Sickness among the pupils has been almost an unknown quantity, and what little there has been has resulted mostly from careless habits while at home.
—Sheila McCann, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2023
An unknown quantity of mail was reported stolen May 6 from the mailroom vestibule of a building in the 8500 block of Foster Avenue.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2023
Anthropic is a bit of an unknown quantity in the AI world.
—James Vincent, The Verge, 9 May 2023
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.
C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2024
Water-guzzling factories are also coming under criticism, while an unknown quantity of water is siphoned off by organized crime groups to maintain lucrative avocado orchards that have sprung up near the distant reservoirs that supply water to Mexico City.
—Emily Green, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024
None of us, Moreno seems to be saying, is a truly unknown quantity.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023
Sickness among the pupils has been almost an unknown quantity, and what little there has been has resulted mostly from careless habits while at home.
—Sheila McCann, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2023
An unknown quantity of mail was reported stolen May 6 from the mailroom vestibule of a building in the 8500 block of Foster Avenue.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2023
Anthropic is a bit of an unknown quantity in the AI world.
—James Vincent, The Verge, 9 May 2023
Dictionary Entries Near unknown quantity
Cite this Entry
“Unknown quantity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unknown%20quantity. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share