Unaware

/ˌʌnəˈwɛər/

adjectivemediumCommonAcademic

Definitions

1

Not conscious or informed of something; ignorant.

/ˌʌnəˈwɛər/

adjectiveneutralmedium
Academic

Lacking knowledge or awareness of a particular fact or situation.

He was completely unaware of the gossip circulating about him.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're watching a movie, and the ending is a surprise. If you didn't know what was going to happen, you were unaware of it. It's like not having a clue!

👶 For kids: Being unaware means you don't know something that other people know.

More Examples

2

They were unaware of the approaching storm until it was too late.

3

She remained unaware of her friend's disappointment.

How It's Used

General

"She was unaware of the danger."

Psychology

"Many patients are unaware of their own biases."

Idioms & expressions

unaware of oneself

Lacking self-awareness or introspection.

"He was completely unaware of his own annoying habits."

From Middle English *unwar*, from Old English *unwær* ('not aware, heedless'), from *un-* ('not') + *wær* ('aware, cautious').

The word has existed since the late 16th century and has consistently held its meaning of not being informed or conscious of something.

Memory tip

Think of the opposite of 'aware'. If you're unaware, you're in the dark!

unawarunware

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written