Unknown Soldier

noun

: an unidentified soldier whose body is selected to receive national honors as a representative of all of the same nation who died in a war and especially in one of the world wars

Examples of Unknown Soldier 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.
The monument honors French soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies beneath it. — Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 11 Apr. 2026 The royal couple laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor the fallen and the military partnership, but the Union Jack flag flown in the King and Queen's procession was flown upside down. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026 Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, a European Union member, laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial just outside the Kremlin walls but stayed away from the Red Square parade. — CBS News, 9 May 2026 Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, a European Union member, was to meet with Putin and lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial just outside the Kremlin walls but stay away from the Red Square parade. — ABC News, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for Unknown Soldier

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Unknown Soldier was in 1920

Browse Nearby Words

unknown quantity
Unknown Soldier
unknownst
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unknown Soldier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Unknown%20Soldier. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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