ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unspoken

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ənˈspoʊkən// UK //ʌnspˈəʊkən// un·spo·ken

adj. understood by everyone involved even though nobody has said it out loud. It describes a feeling, a rule, or an agreement that is clear without words.

adj. not expressed in speech; understood or agreed upon without being articulated. Often describes social norms, agreements, or emotional tensions that remain implicit.


SIMPLE

They have an unspoken agreement to share the chores.

CONTEXTUAL

There was an unspoken rule in the office that no one should talk about work during the lunch break.

COMPLEX

The tension between the two rivals was palpable, rooted in an unspoken history of competition that everyone in the room acknowledged but no one dared to mention.

Synonyms
Origin

From un- + spoken.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun like 'rule', 'agreement', or 'understanding'.

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