Word
unsolicited
Phoneticsun·so·licit·ed
US/ˌənsəˈɫɪsɪtɪd/
UK/ʌnsəlˈɪsɪtɪd/
Definition
adj. not asked for and often not wanted. You use this to describe things like advice or emails that arrive when you did not request them.
adj. given or supplied without being requested or invited. Often carries a negative connotation of being intrusive or unwelcome.
Examples
“I keep getting unsolicited emails from companies I don't know.”
“She found it difficult to stay polite when her neighbors offered unsolicited advice on how to raise her children.”
“The legal department warned that accepting unsolicited manuscripts could expose the publishing house to future claims of intellectual property theft if a similar story were later developed internally.”
Examples
simple
“I keep getting unsolicited emails from companies I don't know.”
contextual
“She found it difficult to stay polite when her neighbors offered unsolicited advice on how to raise her children.”
complex
“The legal department warned that accepting unsolicited manuscripts could expose the publishing house to future claims of intellectual property theft if a similar story were later developed internally.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; frequently collocates with 'advice', 'feedback', or 'commercial email'.
Real-World Examples
“Photograph: Darren England/AAP A crackdown on gambling advertising will include a ban on ads on all NSW government and council-owned assets, as well as a ban on unsolicited direct marketing to potential customers.” “Sick of getting unsolicited beauty tips on social media, the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen , rebuffed a male cosmetic surgeon’s offer to “fix” her and advised women in similar situations to embrace self-acceptance.” “France has banned unsolicited telemarketing phone calls, in what a consumer group is hailing as a "small revolution" for the sales industry.” Etymology
From un- + solicited.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/unsolicited