English Reference
Idiom idiom

unsung hero


One who accomplishes great deeds but receives little or no recognition for them.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The quiet cleaner is an unsung hero at our office.

CONTEXTUAL

She worked late every night to finish the project, making her the true unsung hero of the team.

COMPLEX

While the lead actors received all the applause, the stagehands remained the unsung heroes who ensured the production ran perfectly.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    culture hero

    A mythical character or real person who is renowned as the exemplar of the values or achievements of a society, group, or time period.

  2. 02

    go from zero to hero

    To change from a negative to a positive outcome; to improve one's fortunes significantly.

Last updated August 10, 2026