unsee

verb

un·​see ˌən-ˈsē How to pronounce unsee (audio)
unsaw ˌən-ˈsȯ How to pronounce unsee (audio) ; unseeing; unsees

transitive verb

1
: to fail to see (something) : to avoid seeing (something)
Countless people have studied the painting and never seen the hidden likeness in it. Yet, once it comes to your attention, you can't unsee it again.Kenneth Baker
2
: to forget having seen (something) : to erase the image of (something) from one's memory
Like at the porn expo, you see things at the poker expo you can never unsee.Bill Simmons

Examples of unsee 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.
The Absurd Problem of New York City Trash Many New Yorkers have trained their eyes to unsee the great piles of trash that abound. The Upshot Staff, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024 But such palpable relief must be tempered by a dispiriting truth, rooted in that notion of anarchy: the world cannot unsee the Trump presidency. Jonathan Kirshner, Foreign Affairs, 29 Jan. 2021 One such scene etches itself in our minds, impossible to unsee. Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024 And the second officer couldn't unsee the marijuana the state claims was in plain sight. John Fritze, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023 America can’t unsee January 6. Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 5 Feb. 2023 His family will never unsee that. Don Riddell, CNN, 5 Sep. 2020 The glaring lack of diversity in the space was impossible to unsee. Samantha Anderl, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022 Although the GOP used to self-identify as the party of law and order, no one outside the Fox bubble can unsee the January 6 zip-tie carrying mob beating federal police officers with flags and metal poles while threatening to hang Mike Pence. Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsee was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unsee

Cite this Entry

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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