Power Prefixes: un-

Learn these words that begin with the common prefix un-, meaning "not."
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. unabashed
    not embarrassed
    He was looking at her, an open unabashed looking, and she would not hold his gaze. Americanah
  2. unambiguous
    having or exhibiting a single clearly defined meaning
    All the facts on which you base protocols must be reasonably hard facts with unambiguous meaning. The Lives of a Cell
  3. unattainable
    impossible to achieve
    She’s already saving for a down payment on a house, a goal that seemed unattainable a few years ago. Wall Street Journal (May 14, 2018)
  4. unbiased
    characterized by a lack of partiality
    That is the opinion of these unbiased judges. Palmer, Alice Freeman
  5. unconventional
    not conforming to standards
    She first happened upon it in a newspaper profile and was drawn to its unconventional style and characters. The Guardian (Apr 10, 2019)
  6. unethical
    not conforming to approved standards of social behavior
    Almost everybody in these pages is accused of committing unethical and illegal acts. Washington Post (Aug 5, 2020)
  7. unforeseen
    not anticipated
    “We sincerely regret the disappointment to fans due to the unforeseen and last-minute changes to the schedule,” it said. Reuters (Jan 22, 2020)
  8. unintentional
    not done with purpose or intent
    ‘It was quite unintentional, I assure you. A most unfortunate accident.’ The Fellowship of the Ring
  9. unjust
    not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception
    Authorities say the restrictions are necessary, but the truckers see them as biased and unjust. Seattle Times (Jun 7, 2020)
  10. unobtrusive
    not undesirably noticeable
    She tried, as always, to keep her typing unobtrusive, so Reggie wouldn’t get distracted. A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age
  11. unorthodox
    breaking with tradition or typical norms
    I adopted a rather unorthodox work schedule: I would write most of the night and sleep during the day. Long Walk to Freedom
  12. unpalatable
    not pleasant or acceptable to the taste or mind
    “I did not intend to wound you. But sometimes the truth must be stated, unpalatable as it is.” Nectar in a Sieve
  13. unpredictable
    not capable of being foretold
    But every next move is unpredictable, every outcome uncertain. The Lives of a Cell
  14. unravel
    become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers of
    Jules played with the strings on her coat, twirling them in her fingers and letting them unravel. Tradition
  15. unrepentant
    not feeling or expressing remorse
    While his family thinks he is unrepentant, Jack is actually tormented by guilt and shame. New York Times (Sep 29, 2020)
  16. unscrupulous
    without principles
    Scammers will always exist, as there will always be unscrupulous people trying to worm their way into other people’s money. Washington Times (Apr 21, 2021)
  17. unsettle
    cause to feel nervous, anxious, or upset
    There is an urgency to her that unsettles me, a warning in her words beyond the obvious. An Ember in the Ashes
  18. unsustainable
    not capable of being prolonged or continued
    The commission cited concerns that a bigger hospital would be expensive and unsustainable. Washington Post (Jun 7, 2021)
  19. unyielding
    stubbornly unwilling to give in
    For a moment his expression stayed like that—stonelike and unyielding. When Dimple Met Rishi
  20. unwieldy
    difficult to use or handle because of size or weight
    The old, hulking computer in my room was a bulky, unwieldy thing. A Very Large Expanse of Sea
Created on Fri Sep 10 15:02:15 EDT 2021

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