Word
unsolved
Phoneticsun·solved, stress on the second syllable
US/ənˈsɑɫvd/
UK/ʌnsˈɒlvd/
Definition
adj. describing a mystery, crime, or problem that has not been explained or fixed yet.
adj. referring to a problem, mystery, or crime for which no solution or explanation has been found. Often used to describe cold cases or mathematical paradoxes.
Examples
“The mystery of the missing keys remains unsolved.”
“Police are still looking for new evidence in the unsolved robbery that took place last winter.”
“Despite decades of rigorous investigation and the application of modern forensic technology, the identity of the culprit in the 1974 case remains one of the city's most famous unsolved mysteries.”
Examples
simple
“The mystery of the missing keys remains unsolved.”
contextual
“Police are still looking for new evidence in the unsolved robbery that took place last winter.”
complex
“Despite decades of rigorous investigation and the application of modern forensic technology, the identity of the culprit in the 1974 case remains one of the city's most famous unsolved mysteries.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unsolved” in context.
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'remain' or 'stay'.
Real-World Examples
“Keeping it out of the rover's moving parts is still an unsolved problem .” “Both were investigating the then unsolved murders of two schoolgirls, Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows, in Brighton’s Wild Park in 1986.” Etymology
From un- + solved.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/unsolved