unread

1 of 2

adjective

un·​read ˌən-ˈred How to pronounce unread (audio)
1
: not read : left unexamined
an unread book
unread messages
Poe, Hawthorne, Shakespeare, Thackeray—the full panoply of English literature piled up unread, but treasured, under my bed.Russell Baker
2
: lacking the experience or the benefits of reading
unread in political science

unread

2 of 2

noun

plural unreads
: something (such as an email or text message) that has not been read
I'm also someone who hates having unread emails, and opening my inbox and seeing dozens of unreads stresses me out immensely.Rachel Wilkerson Miller

Examples of unread in a Sentence

Adjective On her desk was a pile of magazines that had been left unread for months. an officer who seemed to be completely unread in military theory
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.
Adjective
Clearing out those unread emails can make a world of difference in staying organized and reducing digital stress. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2024 But most land in trash folders unread, never to see the light of day. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024 Text messages are also more likely to be checked immediately because of their implicit sense of urgency, unlike emails that go unread or phone calls that are left unanswered (especially among younger people). David MacK, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024 The fliers that come through the mail slot accumulate but go unread. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unread 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unread was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near unread

Cite this Entry

“Unread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unread. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

unread

adjective
un·​read ˌən-ˈred How to pronounce unread (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not read
an unread book
2
: not well informed through reading : uneducated
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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