unscathed
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does unscathed mean? Unscathed is an adjective used to describe being “uninjured” or “unharmed,” especially after a trying or dangerous experience. This word isn’t only used in situations where someone or something has escaped physical injury. It can also be applied to when a person’s reputation, finances, or emotional well-being are unscathed after some major ordeal. Example: The company was lucky to come out of the economic crisis unscathed, still turning a profit and even hiring new employees.
Etymology
Origin of unscathed
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English; see un- 1, scathe ( def. ), -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
If you walked away from a nasty bike accident without a scratch, you walked away unscathed, meaning you came out unharmed. You can also come through a scandal unscathed, with your reputation untarnished, or your dog-walking business may emerge from the financial crisis unscathed and more profitable than ever. With the word unscathed, there's always a sense of something bad that might have happened but didn't.
Vocabulary lists containing unscathed
Oedipus the King
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The Odyssey
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Unbroken
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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.
A ratings firm just warned that the industry might not get through the next one unscathed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The outcome could have been very different after a fire broke out Tuesday at a well-known Hollywood venue, but the site emerged relatively unscathed, the owner said, chalking it up to “true Magic Castle magic!”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Still, markets and the U.S. economy could be relatively unscathed if the American military campaign brings Iran to the negotiating table, Beaulieu at Conning said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
The judgment marks a rare legal defeat for Musk, often dubbed "Teflon Elon" for his ability to emerge unscathed from lawsuits he is expected to lose.
From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026
But as I suspected, the trailer's tow hook was unscathed.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
