unknowingly

IPA/ʌnˈnəʊɪŋli/
KK[ənnˈoɪŋli]IPA/ʌnˈnəʊɪŋli/

unknowingly — adverb

1. doing or saying something without realising a particular aspect of the situation

1.adverbB2
Definition

doing or saying something without realising a particular aspect of the situation

Example

Ravindra unknowingly offended his aunt by commenting on the food she had cooked.

unknowingly + past tense verb for unintended result

The museum guard unknowingly let the thief walk past with a stolen painting.

unknowingly + let + object + bare infinitive

Common collocations
  • unknowingly offend
  • unknowingly reveal
  • unknowingly break
  • unknowingly create
  • unknowingly help
  • unknowingly let someone do something
Synonyms
  • unconsciously

    suggests an automatic or instinctive action; less about knowledge and more about lack of deliberate thought

  • inadvertently

    more formal; focuses on lack of attention rather than lack of knowledge

  • unwittingly

    very similar in meaning but slightly more formal; often used in legal or formal writing

  • accidentally

    broader — covers any unintended action, whether from lack of knowledge or physical mishap

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

subject + unknowingly + main verb (simple tenses)

subject + had + unknowingly + past participle (past perfect)

By + gerund + subject + unknowingly + verb

Usage Note

Commonly used with verbs that describe causing a result, such as offend, reveal, break, create, or help. The adverb can appear before the main verb, after a helping verb (had unknowingly), or at the end of a clause for emphasis.

Common Mistakes

I unknowingly didn't see the sign.
I didn't see the sign.
'Unknowingly' describes how you did something, not that you failed to do it. Use it with an action you actually performed.
She was unknowingly of the danger.
She was unaware of the danger.
'Unknowingly' is an adverb, not an adjective. Use 'unaware' or 'unknowing' after a linking verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe actions done without full awareness, but they differ in what kind of awareness is missing. Unknowingly focuses on a lack of knowledge or understanding — you do something without realising a key fact about the situation. Unconsciously refers to doing something automatically, without deliberate thought, often because of habit or instinct (e.g. 'she unconsciously bit her nails'). Inadvertently carries a stronger sense of carelessness or lack of attention — you meant no harm but were not paying close enough attention (e.g. 'he inadvertently deleted the file'). Unwittingly is the closest to unknowingly but tends to appear in more formal or legal contexts, often implying that someone was tricked or kept in the dark (e.g. 'the driver unwittingly carried stolen goods across the border'). In everyday speech, unknowingly is the most natural choice for describing an unintended result that came from simply not knowing something.

unknowingly ↗unconsciously ↗inadvertently ↗unwittingly ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by adding the adverb suffix -ly to the present participle unknowing, which itself combines the Old English prefix un- (meaning 'not') with knowing (from the verb know, rooted in Old English cnāwan, meaning 'to recognise or understand'). The word has been in use since at least the 14th century.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined above Noun