unspoken

adjective

un·​spo·​ken ˌən-ˈspō-kən 

: not spoken : expressed or understood without being directly stated

an unspoken agreement/assumption

an unspoken rule

Phrases

unspoken to

: not spoken to

… she had sat the whole evening through in the same chair without occupation, not speaking, and unspoken to.

—Anthony Trollope

Synonyms

• implicit
• implied
• tacit
• unexpressed
• unvoiced
• wordless

Examples of unspoken in a Sentence

an unspoken promise to remain faithful to one another

Recent Examples on the Web

The days before the storied conclave May 7 at the Vatican are not idle, and an unspoken selection process is already underway amid whispers in corridors and cafes throughout Rome and other cities in Italy. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 3 May 2025

In many organizations, there’s an unspoken perception that time spent chatting—especially in remote settings—equates to being unproductive. —Toyna Chin, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

But that’s another unpleasant truth that is best left unspoken. —The Editors, National Review, 24 Apr. 2025

Add to that the daily toll of burnout, racial trauma, economic precarity, and social fragmentation, and we are left with a deep, unspoken suffering that simmers just beneath the surface. —Devi Brown, Time, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unspoken

• awoken
• betoken
• heartbroken
• outspoken
• unbroken
• broken
• oaken
• spoken
• token
• woken