unexplained

/ˌʌnɪkˈspleɪnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnɪkˈspleɪnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ik-ˈsplānd/ (ame, mw)

unexplained — adjective

  • unexplainedpositive
  • more unexplainedcomparative
  • most unexplainedsuperlative

1. describes something that happens or exists without anyone knowing or being able

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes something that happens or exists without anyone knowing or being able to say why it happened or what caused it

例句

The police are still looking into the unexplained death of a local fisherman.

collocation: unexplained death / disappearance / phenomenon

Élise noticed an unexplained red mark on her arm after the walk through the woods.

同義詞
  • mysterious

    adds a sense of strangeness or secrecy; stronger emotional tone than unexplained

  • unaccounted-for

    specifically about people or things that are missing and cannot be found

  • unknown

    broader — can apply to anything not known, not just things lacking an explanation

  • inexplicable

    stronger — suggests the thing cannot be explained, not just that it hasn't been yet

反義詞

文法句型

unexplained + noun

remain / go + unexplained

用法筆記

Frequently pairs with nouns like disappearance, death, phenomenon, or occurrence. Often follows remain or go to indicate an ongoing lack of explanation (e.g. 'the reason remains unexplained', 'the event went unexplained'). Distinguish from unexplainable: unexplained means 'not yet explained' (a cause likely exists but hasn't been found), whereas unexplainable means 'impossible to explain or understand'.

常見錯誤

❌The cause of the fire remains unexplainable.' (when you mean it hasn't been found yet).
✅The cause of the fire remains unexplained.
💡'unexplained' means no explanation has been given yet; 'unexplainable' means it cannot be explained at all.
❌The disappearance was unexplainedly strange.
✅The disappearance was unexplained and strange.
💡'unexplained' is an adjective, not an adverb; the word 'unexplainedly' is non-standard.