unleavened

American

[uhn-lev-uhnd] / ʌnˈlɛv ənd /

adjective

(of bread, cake, cookies, etc.) containing no leaven or leavening agent.

unleavened British

/ ʌnˈlɛvənd /

adjective

(of bread, biscuits, etc) made from a dough containing no yeast or leavening

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unleavened

First recorded in 1520–30; un- ¹ + leaven + -ed ³

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It's a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence," said Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Many emphasised that the US would continue to be a strong partner with Europe – lines similar to those offered by Rubio, but unleavened by his criticism of cultural decline on the continent.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Observant Jews avoid grains known as chametz, a reminder of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they fled Egypt quickly with no time for dough to rise.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 20, 2024

Case in point: ‌His version of a ‌tattie scone, a breakfast staple of fried unleavened potato bread, ‌is an opulent one-bite, mayo-laced bao bun layered with Highland ‌Wagyu beef, truffle and a bump of caviar.

From New York Times • Jul. 4, 2023

Her stomach felt heavy, as if the argument lay there like unleavened bread.

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023