What does unremarked mean?
“Unremarked” means unnoticed, unmentioned, or passed over without comment. It is often used for significant events, details, or qualities that attract no attention: an important development may go unremarked, or a character may let an uncomfortable observation remain unremarked. The word is more literary and deliberate than “ignored,” since it suggests simply going without notice or discussion rather than actively refusing to pay attention. It is also distinct from “unremarkable,” which describes something ordinary or unexceptional. “Unremarked” focuses on the absence of attention or commentary, not on the lack of distinction in the thing itself. The adverb “unremarkably” is occasionally used, especially in formal or descriptive writing.
adjectiveNot noticed, commented on, or brought to attention; unnoticed or unmentioned.
- Not noticed, remarked upon, or commented on; unnoticed or unmentioned.
"Her remarkable achievement went unremarked in the crowded report."
"The significance of the change went unremarked for several years."
"She allowed the slight discomfort to pass unremarked, changing the subject."
The quietest achievement can still be an achievement: something extraordinary may go entirely unremarked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unremarked come from?
“Unremarked” was formed in English by adding the productive prefix “un-” to “remarked,” meaning “marked again” or “noted.” “Remark” entered English in the late sixteenth century from French.Remarquer, whose literal sense is “to mark again.” The prefix “un-” here reverses the idea of remarking, producing a word for something that was not remarked upon. The underlying tradition is also reflected in related words such as “mark,” “marker,” “remarkable,” and “unremarkable.”
Related word forms
How unremarked is actually used
Literary and formal in tone. It is especially common in expressions such as “went unremarked,” “passed unremarked,” and “remained unremarked.” The word can describe either an unnoticed event or a detail that is deliberately not mentioned.
Easily confused with unremarked
“Unremarked” means that something was not noticed or commented on, whereas “unremarkable” means that something is ordinary and not especially noteworthy.