unperson

noun

un·​per·​son ˈən-ˈpər-sᵊn How to pronounce unperson (audio)
-ˌpər-
: an individual who usually for political or ideological reasons is removed completely from recognition or consideration

Examples of unperson in a Sentence

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.
In George Orwell’s novel 1984, an unperson is someone who has been expunged by the state, someone of whom all trace has been erased. Timothy Snyder, The New York Review of Books, 3 Sep. 2020 In 1984, George Orwell created the concept of the unperson, someone who had been executed and of whose existence all records were erased. Charles P. Pierce, SI.com, 1 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unperson was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near unperson

Cite this Entry

“Unperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unperson. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!