Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not explained or made clear: Used to describe something for which no reason, cause, or meaning has been provided or discovered.
   • Not accounted for: Refers to phenomena, events, or facts that lack a known or understood explanation.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective modifying a noun:
  • The police ruled his death an unexplained incident. (The cause of his death was not determined or made clear.)
  • There was an unexplained delay in the project timeline. (The reason for the delay was not provided.)
  • She felt an unexplained sense of sadness. (The origin or cause of the sadness was not clear to her.)

Advanced Usage

• "to remain unexplained": To continue to lack an explanation over time.
  • The disappearance of the ancient civilization remains unexplained.
• In formal or scientific contexts, it describes data or results without a current theoretical framework.
  • The study recorded several unexplained anomalies in the data.

Variants and Related Words

• Unexplainable (adjective): Incapable of being explained; often used interchangeably with "inexplicable."
  • The phenomenon was truly unexplainable.
• Inexplicable (adjective): Impossible to explain or account for. This is a close synonym but can imply a stronger sense of mystery or defiance of logic.
  • For some inexplicable reason, the door was locked.

Synonyms

• Unaccounted for: Not included in an account or explanation; missing.
• Mysterious: Difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or identify.
• Puzzling: Confusing and difficult to understand or solve.

Antonyms

• Explained: Made clear or intelligible; the reason or cause given.
• Accounted for: Explained or justified.
• Understood: Comprehended; the meaning or cause is known.

Related Phrases

• Unexplained absence: An absence for which no reason has been given.
  • He was fired for unexplained absence from work.
• Unexplained wealth: Assets or income that cannot be legitimately accounted for.
  • The official was investigated for unexplained wealth.

Adjective

1. having the reason or cause not made clear
   • an unexplained error
2. not explained
   • accomplished by some unexplained process