unenlightened

adjective

un·​en·​light·​ened ˌən-in-ˈlī-tᵊnd How to pronounce unenlightened (audio)
-en-
Synonyms of unenlightenednext
: having or showing a lack of necessary knowledge or understanding : not enlightened
… his disregard for society's margins seems particularly unenlightened.—Genevieve Stuttaford
… an audience of unenlightened laymen.—Joyce Carol Oates

Examples of unenlightened in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead of following his gut like some unenlightened pleb, Patrick trusts his spleen and his spleen alone. — Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025 Some are downright funky in their retro prejudices, others more quaintly unenlightened. — Lauren Bravo, refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 2024 Dirty work is often assumed to be unenlightened work, but wildland firefighters have a unique empirical understanding of natural forces. — M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 Wilson, therefore, was not introducing the ideas of world order and human rights to a collection of previously anarchic states and unenlightened polities. — Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020 See All Example Sentences for unenlightened

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unenlightened was in 1650

Rhymes for unenlightened

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Browse Nearby Words

unenlarged
unenlightened
unenlightening
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Cite this Entry

“Unenlightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unenlightened. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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