unwanted
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.not wanted, needed, or welcome.
adj.not desired, required, or welcome; often used to describe physical objects, attention, or social situations.
Simple“She received a lot of unwanted advice from people who didn't understand her situation.”
In context“The charity works to find homes for unwanted pets that have been abandoned by their previous owners.”
UsageCommonly precedes the noun it modifies, such as 'unwanted attention' or 'unwanted gifts'.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
n.people who are not wanted or are ignored by society.
n.individuals who are considered undesirable or are marginalized by a particular group or society.
Simple“The old laws were designed to keep the unwanteds out of the city center.”
In context“The novel depicts a dystopian future where the state systematically removes the unwanteds from the urban population.”
Teacher's tipThis noun use is rare in modern conversation; learners will mostly encounter it in literature or formal social commentary.
Synonyms
From un- + wanted.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.