unspoken

adjective

un·​spo·​ken ˌən-ˈspō-kən 

: not spoken : expressed or understood without being directly stated

an unspoken agreement/assumption

an unspoken rule

Phrases

unspoken to

: not spoken to

… she had sat the whole evening through in the same chair without occupation, not speaking, and unspoken to.

—Anthony Trollope

Synonyms

• implicit
• implied
• tacit
• unexpressed
• unvoiced
• wordless

Examples of unspoken in a Sentence

an unspoken promise to remain faithful to one another

Recent Examples on the Web

My friend Jackie, for example, has long felt like there’s this unspoken pressure to have big, exciting plans to ring in the new year. —Julia Ries, SELF, 27 Dec. 2024

For The Season The holiday season often comes with an unspoken pressure to be cheerful and participate in festive traditions. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

But there’s still an unspoken rivalry between the newbies and the old guard. —David Whitley, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Having always taken her work to heart in an all-consuming way, Bates has often ruminated about the unspoken emotional cost of being an actor. —Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above