unwitting

[ uhn-wit-ing ]

adjective

1. not intentional or deliberate; inadvertent; accidental:

   His insult, though unwitting, pained her.

2. not knowing; unaware; ignorant; oblivious; unconscious:

   an unwitting person.

unwitting

/ ʌnˈwɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. not knowing or conscious
2. not intentional; inadvertent

Derived Forms

• unˈwittingness, noun
• unˈwittingly, adverb

Other Words From

• un·wit·ting·ly adverb
• un·wit·ting·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unwitting¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English unwittende; un- ¹, wit ², -ing ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of unwitting¹

Old English unwitende, from un- ¹+ witting, present participle of witan to know; related to Old High German wizzan to know, Old Norse vita

Example Sentences

The responses showed how companies collected information on unwitting consumers about household income, activities elsewhere on the internet, their location and more.

From Los Angeles Times

The complaint said she did so by “enlisting the unwitting aide” of her former husband, Jean, to put together a Fugees tour for the second half of 2023 using an independent live music concert promoter.

From Los Angeles Times

Think of it more as a work of theater that unfolds throughout Little Tokyo, a game that allows us to become the protagonist, and every stranger an unwitting extra.

From Los Angeles Times

But how he responds to the horror of his unwitting actions is what makes his tale so eternally meaningful.

From Los Angeles Times

Other times, pirates are unwitting consumers who don’t know they’re putting themselves at risk when they stream illegally, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• forgetful
• inadvertent
• uninformed
• unsuspecting