1 unwitting | Definition of unwitting

unwitting

adjective
un·​wit·​ting | \ ˌən-ˈwi-tiƋ How to pronounce unwitting (audio) \

Definition of unwitting

1 : not knowing : unaware kept the truth from their unwitting friends
2 : not intended : inadvertent an unwitting mistake

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from unwitting

unwittingly \ ˌən-​ˈwi-​tiƋ-​lē How to pronounce unwittingly (audio) \ adverb

Examples of unwitting in a Sentence

He kept the truth from his unwitting friends. an unwitting victim of fraud

Recent Examples on the Web

There are the unwitting smugglers who don’t know about the complex red tape involved in collecting and transporting insects. Jani Actman, National Geographic, "Bug smuggling is big business," 5 Sep. 2019 AP Photo/Reed Saxon The unsealed indictment shows the evolving tactics of online fraudsters which has seen them continue to dupe unwitting victims despite numerous awareness campaigns about the online scams. Yomi Kazeem, Quartz Africa, "The FBI’s Nigerian email scam ring bust shows how the billion-dollar global fraud has evolved," 23 Aug. 2019 Some investors say the scheme turned them into unwitting slumlords. Tim Evans, Indianapolis Star, "Ex-Fox & Friends co-host Clayton Morris leaves country amid fraud allegations," 12 July 2019 Her confrontational run-ins with a neighbor, unwitting involvement in a Russian identity-theft ring, and generally erratic behaviors are the fault of her artistic temperament. Maya Phillips, The New Yorker, "“Where’d You Go, Bernadette” and the False Dream That Art Will Fulfill You," 22 Aug. 2019 Beneath all the contempt men have poured on women 
 all the condemnation of our Otherness, there is an unwitting acknowledgment of our power — a power great enough, in their own estimation, to end the world. Laura Barcella, Longreads, "‘Horror Is a Soothing Genre 
 It’s Upfront About How Scary It Is To Be a Woman.’," 14 Aug. 2019 The president could stop it tomorrow by shifting the Department’s focus toward individual abuses and away from class-action suits, which often conscript unwitting and unwilling parties and are explicitly designed to change entire systems of care. John Hirschauer, National Review, "Yes, the U.S. Has a Mental-Health Problem," 6 Aug. 2019 The fact is that even a multibillion-dollar fine won’t dissuade Facebook from pursuing its quest to monetize the private information of its unwitting or uncaring users , and indulging its worst instincts in doing so. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: If a $5-billion fine won’t shake Facebook, what can bring it to heel?," 18 July 2019 The fountain has been spraying the skies, and unwitting visitors who get too close, sporadically over the past two weeks as AC Transit has been running training buses. Michael Cabanatuan, SFChronicle.com, "Bus service to return to Transbay transit center after 10 months," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unwitting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of unwitting

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for unwitting

unwitting

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of unwitting

: not aware of what is really happening
: not intended or planned

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on unwitting

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with unwitting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unwitting

Spanish Central: Translation of unwitting

Nglish: Translation of unwitting for Spanish Speakers