Word
unchecked
US/ənˈtʃɛkt/
UK/ʌntʃˈɛkt/
Definition
adj. something that is allowed to continue or grow without being stopped or controlled. You use this to describe problems that get worse because nobody intervenes.
adj. not restrained, controlled, or hindered. Often describes negative phenomena that escalate due to a lack of intervention or oversight.
Examples
“The fire spread unchecked through the dry forest.”
“If left unchecked, the software bug could eventually crash the entire operating system.”
“Historians argue that the dictator's rise was facilitated by an unchecked expansion of executive power that the legislative branch failed to challenge.”
Examples
simple
“The fire spread unchecked through the dry forest.”
contextual
“If left unchecked, the software bug could eventually crash the entire operating system.”
complex
“Historians argue that the dictator's rise was facilitated by an unchecked expansion of executive power that the legislative branch failed to challenge.”
Usage
Often follows a linking verb like 'remain' or 'go', or functions as a post-positive modifier after the noun it describes.
Real-World Examples
“But the suggestion that betting shops are spreading unchecked is simply wrong.” “There, waters have become polluted due to the unchecked development that emerged as the area became a wildly popular tourist destination , he says.” Etymology
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/unchecked