unsaid

¹ American  

[uhn-sed] / ʌnˈsɛd /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of unsay.

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unsaid ² American  

[uhn-sed] / ʌnˈsɛd /

adjective

1. not said; thought but not mentioned or discussed; unstated.

   It was best left unsaid.

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unsaid British  

/ ʌnˈsɛd /

adjective

1. not said or expressed; unspoken

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Etymology

Origin of unsaid

before 1000; Middle English unsa ( i ) d, Old English unsǣd; un- ¹, said ¹

Explanation

If something hasn't been spoken out loud, it's unsaid. Even when something is unsaid, its meaning is sometimes understood anyway. It's more common to use the adjective unspoken when you're talking about something that's implied indirectly but not articulated in words, but you can use unsaid this way too. In print, you're most likely to see it in its role as the past tense of unsay: "Once you've said something mean, it can't be unsaid."

Example Sentences

In contrast to the fast-paced dramas audiences may be more familiar with, Babies lingers in the quiet - the pauses, the unfinished conversations and the things left unsaid between its characters.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

They talk about all of the things that have been left unsaid, buried by their never-ending battle of wits.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2026

Readers may fairly wonder how children feel about being included in a parent’s memoir, and what they may have left unsaid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Much, however, seemed to be deliberately left unsaid.

From BBC • Dec. 15, 2025

The words left unsaid were heavier on his heart.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers