unspoken

[ uhn-spoh-kuhn ]

adjective

1. implied or understood without being spoken or uttered.
2. not addressed (usually followed by to ).
3. not talking; silent.

unspoken

/ ʌnˈspəʊkən /

adjective

1. understood without needing to be spoken; tacit
2. not uttered aloud

Word History and Origins

Origin of unspoken¹

First recorded in 1325–75, unspoken is from the Middle English word unspokyn. See un- ¹, spoken

Example Sentences

Nothing much happens by way of action, yet unspoken tensions simmer under the surface, and by the movie’s surprising end, you sense that a tremendous transformation has quietly taken place.

From New York Times

This silence, evoked by the title, describes the organizational omerta under which the IRA operated and the unspoken agreement between its operatives and the people they lived among.

From Salon

The lightbulb goes off on how to send an unspoken signal to Trump.

From Salon

One of the things that Jeff said was that music is the unspoken other main character in the ensemble, which we see in the song that you perform this year.

From Salon

"Idols need to do this, do that. There are all these unspoken rules," she says in the documentary.

From BBC

Related Words

• implicit
• implied
• tacit