English Reference
Adjective

unattended

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ənəˈtɛndɪd/ UK /ʌnɐtˈɛndɪd/ unat·tend·ed

adj.describing something that is left alone without anyone watching or taking care of it.

adj.not being accompanied, supervised, or cared for by a responsible person. Often used in public safety contexts to describe luggage or vehicles left in a restricted area.


SIMPLE

Do not leave your bags unattended at the airport.

CONTEXTUAL

The fire started because a candle was left unattended in the living room while the family was outside.

COMPLEX

Security protocols mandate that any unattended package discovered within the terminal must be reported immediately to the local authorities for inspection and potential disposal.

Usage

Typically used predicatively after 'leave' or 'remain', or attributively before a noun.

Pitfall
The bag was unattended from its owner.The bag was unattended by its owner.

When expressing who is not watching the object, use the preposition 'by' rather than 'from'.

Some businesses even placed radios beside unattended phones, letting local broadcasts fill the dead air while customers waited.

Smithsonian Magazine· 24 Jul 2026

From un- + attended.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated