UNHEARD-OF Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

unheard-of

adjective

ˌən-ˈhərd-ˌəv

Definition of unheard-of

as in unprecedented

not known or experienced before houses selling at unheard-of prices

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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.

Recent Examples of unheard-of In an age where most electrics are looking towards the future with unheard-of modern tech on board, the C6 sports a WWII-era girder-style front fork and a monoshock with an internal floating piston at the rear. — New Atlas, 15 Apr. 2026 This is a monumental and often impossible moment for media companies, when the corporate leaders who control them have been put under unprecedented government pressure even as the rhetoric from all quarters rises to unheard-of levels. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026 The phenomenon reflects the recent evolution of the venture capital industry, the emergence of two extraordinary companies that have raised unheard-of sums of money, and the wide-open competition among them and others in AI. — Paresh Dave, Wired News, 5 June 2026 Jackson's stretch of debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 now includes seven decades – a nearly unheard-of feat, considering the tally was only introduced in the late '50s, about 10 years before Jackson and his brothers first appeared. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unheard-of

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unheard-of

Adjective

The high rate of kills prompted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to take the unprecedented step of euthanizing four gray wolves from the Beyem Seyo pack that were responsible for 70 livestock deaths in less than six months.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
But the lack of wide public and professional input the arch design received before it was reviewed by commissioners is unprecedented for memorials in Washington, historians critical of the process said.

— Chiara Eisner, NPR, 8 July 2026

Definition of unprecedented

Adjective

And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Fast, generalized defenses reduce exposure early, while slower, specialized mechanisms deliver precision when the threat is novel, persistent or evasive.

— Abhik Biswas, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of novel

Adjective

The work is unfamiliar and seems risky, in precisely the ways advanced mathematics or learning to read complex texts may have seemed foreign to our agricultural-era counterparts.

— Tim Knowles, Fortune, 8 July 2026
Entering new markets can trigger unfamiliar regulatory obligations.

— Blake Harris, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of unfamiliar

Adjective

Buckhead Heritage, a historic preservation organization, will make a historic building its new headquarters after reaching an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools.

— Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
The airlines haven’t yet announced what their new, combined frequent flyer program will look like, however.

— Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of new

Browse Nearby Words

unhealthy

unheard-of

unheated

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“Unheard-of.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unheard-of. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of unheard-of

adjective

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