unknown
/ˌʌnˈnəʊn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnˈnəʊn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈnōn/ (ame, mw) · /ʌnˈnəʊn/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈnoʊn/ (ame, ipa)
unknown — adjective
- unknownpositive
- more unknowncomparative
- most unknownsuperlative
1. not seen, met, or learned about before; having no information about something or
not seen, met, or learned about before; having no information about something or someone.
The cause of the fire remained unknown to the investigators for several weeks.
remain unknown to [someone]
Theo arrived in a city where the language and customs were completely unknown to him.
completely unknown to [someone]
A team of marine biologists is exploring an unknown part of the deep ocean.
For safety reasons, the meeting place was kept unknown to everyone outside the team.
Vivek received a letter from an unknown sender and asked the post office about it.
- unfamiliar
stronger focus on personal lack of experience; 'unfamiliar' usually describes something you personally have not encountered before.
- mysterious
adds an implication that the thing is strange, secret, or hard to understand.
- unidentified
used when a specific name, origin, or type has not been determined; common in news reports.
文法句型
unknown + to + noun phrase
remain + unknown
unknown + noun
常見錯誤
2. not having achieved fame or wide public recognition; used for people, or the wor
not having achieved fame or wide public recognition; used for people, or the work they produce, that few people know about.
At that time, Élise was an unknown actress working small roles in local plays.
unknown + noun (person not famous)
The band started as a group of unknown musicians playing in a small club.
The author was relatively unknown outside her home country until the translation was published.
His paintings were bought by collectors when he was still an unknown painter.
The young runner went from an unknown athlete to a national champion.
- obscure
suggests even less public awareness and sometimes a lack of available information about the person or thing.
- little-known
milder in tone, simply indicating that few people have heard of someone or something.
- unsung
positive connotation; implies the person deserves more recognition than they receive.
- famous
direct opposite; means known to many people.
- well-known
familiar to a large number of people.
- celebrated
widely praised and recognised.
文法句型
unknown + noun
relatively + unknown
still + unknown
用法筆記
Frequently used with adverbs such as 'relatively', 'completely', and 'still' to indicate the degree of obscurity.
常見錯誤
unknown — noun
- unknownsingular
- unknownsplural
1. things, places, or situations that people have no knowledge or experience of, of
things, places, or situations that people have no knowledge or experience of, often felt as strange or uncertain.
Many people are afraid of the unknown and prefer to stay where they feel safe.
fear of the unknown
The astronauts prepared themselves for a long journey into the unknown.
into the unknown
Moving to a new country means stepping into the unknown and learning new customs.
Early explorers sailed into the unknown with only basic maps and simple tools.
The novel follows a scientist who uncovers the unknown beneath the ocean floor.
- the unfamiliar
more personal, emphasising lack of personal experience rather than general lack of knowledge.
- uncharted territory
metaphorical expression, often used to describe new situations without clear guidance.
- the known
things that are familiar, understood, or already discovered.
- the familiar
people, places, or situations that are well-known from personal experience.
文法句型
the unknown
into the unknown
fear of the unknown
用法筆記
Usually used with the definite article 'the' and is uncountable. Common in fixed expressions like 'fear of the unknown' and 'a leap into the unknown.'
常見錯誤
2. a person, especially in entertainment or sports, whose name is not known to the
a person, especially in entertainment or sports, whose name is not known to the public, usually because they are at the beginning of their career.
The film was directed by a complete unknown with no experience on major films.
a complete unknown
The team signed two unknowns from a local league and trained them for the season.
unknowns (plural)
The competition gives stage time to unknowns who have never faced a live audience.
Daichi was a complete unknown until his first song became popular on streaming services.
The tournament was created to find talented unknowns and offer them professional contracts.
- nobody
informal; can carry a dismissive tone implying the person is unimportant.
- newcomer
focuses on recent arrival in a field rather than lack of fame specifically.
- rising talent
positive tone, implies the person has potential to become well-known.
文法句型
a/an + (adjective) + unknown
unknowns
用法筆記
Often introduced by 'a/an' plus an intensifying adjective such as 'complete', 'total', or 'relative'. The plural form 'unknowns' is also common.
常見錯誤
3. a fact, value, or result that cannot be predicted or calculated because not enou
a fact, value, or result that cannot be predicted or calculated because not enough information is available yet.
The total cost of the repairs remains an unknown until the mechanic inspects the engine.
remains an unknown
The biggest unknown in the plan is how long the construction will actually take.
biggest unknown
In the mountains, the weather is an unknown that can change the whole trip.
Selim's decision to leave created too many unknowns for the rest of the project team.
There are still many unknowns about how the disease spreads between different groups of people.
- variable
more technical; a factor that can change and affect results, especially in mathematics or experiments.
- question mark
informal and metaphorical; suggests uncertainty about a specific aspect.
- uncertainty
broader term for a situation where the outcome cannot be known in advance.
文法句型
an unknown
unknowns
remain(s) an unknown
用法筆記
Common in contexts involving planning, risk assessment, science, and finance. Frequently appears in the plural form 'unknowns.'