What does unawarely mean?
Unawarely is an adverb meaning without awareness, intention, or understanding of what one is doing. It commonly describes an act performed in ignorance of its effects, as in saying that a person moved an object unawarely and caused an accident. The word can also suggest an unconscious or automatic action, although unknowingly is often more familiar in modern usage. Unawarely should not be confused with unaware, which is an adjective: unaware describes a person or situation, while unawarely describes the manner of an action. Because it can sound awkward or literary, unawarely is most effective in formal writing, careful narration, or when emphasizing the contrast between a person’s attention and their lack of awareness of a consequence. It is not commonly used to describe deliberate ignorance; for that idea, knowingly or deliberately is usually clearer.
adverbWithout awareness or intention; inadvertently or unconsciously.
- Without awareness of what one is doing or of its likely consequences; inadvertently or unconsciously.
"She moved the chair unawarely and sent the cup crashing to the floor."
"The program removes expired files unawarely, without first notifying the administrator."
"He continued speaking unawarely while the interpreter was trying to translate his words."
Sometimes the most consequential mistakes are the ones we make while paying attention to everything except what our action actually affects.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unawarely come from?
Unawarely is formed in English by adding the adverb-forming suffix -ly to unaware. Unaware itself combines the negative prefix un- with aware, a word related to ware, wary, and beware. These forms belong to a wider English family concerned with being watchful, cautious, or having knowledge. The adverbial development is conventional in English, with -ly turning an adjective into an adverb that describes an action performed without awareness.
How unawarely is actually used
Unawarely is less common and somewhat more formal or literary than unknowingly. It is most natural when an action has consequences that the person performing it does not recognize.
Easily confused with unawarely
Unaware is an adjective describing a person or thing that lacks awareness, whereas unawarely is an adverb describing an action performed without awareness.