Definition

Adjective: 1. Not heard or listened to: Describes something that is not perceived by the ear or is not given attention or consideration. 2. Not given a hearing: Describes a person or opinion that is not allowed to speak or present their case.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Their cries for help went unheard in the storm. (Their calls for assistance were not heard by anyone.)
  • The committee made its decision, leaving the minority opinion completely unheard. (The group's decision ignored the minority view, not allowing it to be expressed.)
  • It is a fundamental injustice to judge someone unheard. (It is essentially unfair to make a judgment about a person without listening to their side.)

Advanced Usage

• "unheard of": (This is a common idiomatic phrase, not a direct inflection of "unheard"). It means unprecedented, unknown, or shockingly unusual.
  • Such a generous offer was unheard of in the industry. (An offer that generous was completely unknown and unexpected in that business field.)
• "to fall on deaf ears / to go unheard": To be ignored or not heeded. (Note: "go unheard" is a common collocation where "unheard" functions as an adjective complement).
  • Their repeated warnings went unheard by the management. (The management consistently ignored their warnings.)

Variants and Related Words

• Unheard-of (adjective): Unprecedented, extraordinary, or not previously known.
  • The athlete achieved an unheard-of level of success. (The athlete reached a level of success that had never been known before.)
• Hear (verb): The root verb meaning to perceive sound.
• Unheeded (adjective): Similar to one sense of "unheard," meaning ignored or disregarded.
  • The unheeded advice led to the project's failure. (The ignored advice resulted in the project failing.)

Synonyms

• Ignored: Refused to pay attention to.
• Unnoticed: Not observed or perceived.
• Disregarded: Paid no attention to; ignored.
• Inaudible: Unable to be heard (specifically due to low volume, which is a more specific, physical reason than the broader "unheard").

Related Phrases and Collocations

• Leave someone/something unheard: To not listen to or consider someone/something.
  • The protestors feared their demands would be left unheard. (The protestors were afraid their demands would not be listened to.)
• A voice unheard: A perspective or opinion that is not listened to or considered.
  • The documentary aimed to give a voice to the unheard communities. (The documentary's goal was to let ignored communities express their views.)

Notes on Meaning

The word "unheard" can describe both a physical state (a sound not detected by the ear) and a social/legal state (a person or argument not granted an audience or consideration). The context usually makes the specific meaning clear.

Adjective

1. not necessarily inaudible but not heard