Unbeknown
adverb
Without someone knowing or being aware.
Unbeknown to her, her friends were planning a surprise party.
Often appears as...
- unbeknown to me
- unbeknown to him
Usage tips
Formal
adverb
Without someone knowing or being aware.
Unbeknown to her, her friends were planning a surprise party.
Often appears as...
- unbeknown to me
- unbeknown to him
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Actions
Used when actions happen without others' knowledge, often leading to a surprise or reveal.
Unbeknown to him, his coworkers had decorated his office for his birthday.
Pro Tip 2/3Silent Observers
Indicates someone or something is observing or influencing secretly.
Unbeknown to the actors, the director was watching the rehearsal from the back.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Twists
Can add an element of twist or irony to a story or situation.
Unbeknown to the thief, the wallet he stole was actually empty.
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Actions
Used when actions happen without others' knowledge, often leading to a surprise or reveal.
Unbeknown to him, his coworkers had decorated his office for his birthday.
Pro Tip 2/3Silent Observers
Indicates someone or something is observing or influencing secretly.
Unbeknown to the actors, the director was watching the rehearsal from the back.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Twists
Can add an element of twist or irony to a story or situation.
Unbeknown to the thief, the wallet he stole was actually empty.
Pro Tip 1/3Hidden Actions
Used when actions happen without others' knowledge, often leading to a surprise or reveal.
Unbeknown to him, his coworkers had decorated his office for his birthday.
Pro Tip 2/3Silent Observers
Indicates someone or something is observing or influencing secretly.
Unbeknown to the actors, the director was watching the rehearsal from the back.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Twists
Can add an element of twist or irony to a story or situation.
Unbeknown to the thief, the wallet he stole was actually empty.
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Video examples
Robots with "soul" PIPE Guy...
and used that to design my robotic desk lamp. So I went and designed frame by frame to try to make this robot as graceful and engaging as possible. And here when you see the robot interacting with me on a desktop -- and I'm actually redesigning the robot, so, unbeknownst to itself, it's kind of digging its own grave by helping me.
Video examples
Anant Agarwal: Why...
They can have discussions amongst themselves. They can solve problems together. They can work with the professor and have the professor answer their questions. In fact, with edX, when we were teaching our first course on circuits and electronics around the world, this was happening unbeknownst to us. Two high school teachers
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
too much to drink and they needed a ride home so I went to pick them up I wound up singing a song and I had a coke paid the bill and left well unbeknownst to us there was two thugs there that would get tipped off by a server as to who had cash and they would attack and rob you when you left so as we leave this bar I
Video examples
How judges can show...
My parents taught me, you treat everyone you meet with dignity and respect, no matter how they look, no matter how they dress, no matter how they spoke. You see, the principles of fairness were taught to me at an early age, and unbeknownst to me, it would be the most important lesson
Video examples
Sonia Shah: 3 reasons we...
they have totally different physiology. So say you came up with some great drug that worked against one stage of the parasite's life cycle. It might do nothing at all to any of the other stages. It can hide in our bodies, undetected, unbeknownst to us, for days, for weeks,
Video examples
How changing your story...
have written to me, unbeknownst to the other, and I have two versions of the same story sitting in my inbox. That really has happened. I don't know what the other version of this woman's letter is, but I do know she has to write it. Because with a courageous edit,
Video examples
On exploring the oceans...
had ever thought again discovered by accident just two years ago working off Santorini where people are sunning themselves on the beach unbeknownst to them in caldera nearby we found phenomenal hydrothermal vent systems and another more life systems this was two
Video examples
The pride and power of...
who over the years had worked their way up through their respective publications, went to work, unbeknownst to me. And they started to post things. Also, some tech founders out here started to post stuff on social media,
Video examples
Eye Spy PIPE National...
only visible in ultraviolet light Tyrannosaurus Rex an early predecessor to birds and thought to have advanced vision could perhaps make out prey otherwise camouflaged by natural light so unbeknownst to this guy the
Video examples
Machine intelligence...
But now put this in the context of hiring. So at this human resources managers conference, I approached a high-level manager in a very large company, and I said to her, "Look, what if, unbeknownst to you,
Video examples
Robots with "soul" PIPE Guy...
and used that to design my robotic desk lamp. So I went and designed frame by frame to try to make this robot as graceful and engaging as possible. And here when you see the robot interacting with me on a desktop -- and I'm actually redesigning the robot, so, unbeknownst to itself, it's kind of digging its own grave by helping me.
Video examples
Anant Agarwal: Why...
They can have discussions amongst themselves. They can solve problems together. They can work with the professor and have the professor answer their questions. In fact, with edX, when we were teaching our first course on circuits and electronics around the world, this was happening unbeknownst to us. Two high school teachers
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
too much to drink and they needed a ride home so I went to pick them up I wound up singing a song and I had a coke paid the bill and left well unbeknownst to us there was two thugs there that would get tipped off by a server as to who had cash and they would attack and rob you when you left so as we leave this bar I
Video examples
How judges can show...
My parents taught me, you treat everyone you meet with dignity and respect, no matter how they look, no matter how they dress, no matter how they spoke. You see, the principles of fairness were taught to me at an early age, and unbeknownst to me, it would be the most important lesson
Video examples
Sonia Shah: 3 reasons we...
they have totally different physiology. So say you came up with some great drug that worked against one stage of the parasite's life cycle. It might do nothing at all to any of the other stages. It can hide in our bodies, undetected, unbeknownst to us, for days, for weeks,
Video examples
How changing your story...
have written to me, unbeknownst to the other, and I have two versions of the same story sitting in my inbox. That really has happened. I don't know what the other version of this woman's letter is, but I do know she has to write it. Because with a courageous edit,
Video examples
On exploring the oceans...
had ever thought again discovered by accident just two years ago working off Santorini where people are sunning themselves on the beach unbeknownst to them in caldera nearby we found phenomenal hydrothermal vent systems and another more life systems this was two
Video examples
The pride and power of...
who over the years had worked their way up through their respective publications, went to work, unbeknownst to me. And they started to post things. Also, some tech founders out here started to post stuff on social media,
Video examples
Eye Spy PIPE National...
only visible in ultraviolet light Tyrannosaurus Rex an early predecessor to birds and thought to have advanced vision could perhaps make out prey otherwise camouflaged by natural light so unbeknownst to this guy the
Video examples
Machine intelligence...
But now put this in the context of hiring. So at this human resources managers conference, I approached a high-level manager in a very large company, and I said to her, "Look, what if, unbeknownst to you,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Ben Dolnick
American Writer
To write fiction is to think that you're doing it wrong - that your work habits are inhibiting you; that you've chosen the wrong subject; that you've chosen the right subject, but that someone else has, unbeknownst to you, already written exactly the book you're laboring over.
Quote examples
John Frankenheimer
American Director
A disk unbeknownst to the director can go to the producer in another city or in another office and that producer can edit behind the director's back much easier than in the old days. Since these dailies are now put on videotape, more kinds of people have access to dailies.
Quote examples
Nina Dobrev
Canadian Actress
I went on a date once with a police officer, unbeknownst to me. I thought he was a regular guy. And when I found out that he was a police officer... I wasn't so into it. I got paranoid that I would illegally cross the street and get a ticket for jay walking.
Quote examples
Alain de Botton
English Writer
Parent and child may both love, but - unbeknown to the child - each party is on a different end of the axis. This is why, in adulthood, when we first long for 'love', what we mean is that we want to 'be loved' as we were once loved by a parent.
Quote examples
Esme Creed-Miles
English Actress
You have your assigned sex but gender is more of a construct and I think one that is incredibly disillusioning and I think when we buy into those constructs then we start to maybe, unbeknownst to ourselves, cause real damage to our psyches.
Quote examples
Frank Gaffney
American Writer
Unbeknownst to most American investors, significant portions of their public pension, mutual fund, life insurance and private portfolios are comprised of stocks of privately held companies that partner with state sponsors of terror.
Quote examples
Ringo Starr
English Musician
I am a big Beatles fan. And, you know, unbeknownst to anyone, I used to be one. But I have no problems of putting titles and lines from other songs in my songs, because they're great lines and great titles.
Quote examples
Ben Shahn
Lithuanian Artist
I remember traveling around in Arkansas with Senator Robinson, and I told him what this little trick was. He felt very much part of it and had me take pictures of people unbeknownst to them.
Quote examples
Tom Carper
American Politician
Unbeknownst to a lot of us, our children actually listen to just about everything we say and, even more so, watch everything we do. They notice the choices we make and the company we keep.
Quote examples
Trevor Rabin
South African Musician
Well, unbeknownst to everybody, I did a movie when I was 19.
Quote examples
Ben Dolnick
American Writer
To write fiction is to think that you're doing it wrong - that your work habits are inhibiting you; that you've chosen the wrong subject; that you've chosen the right subject, but that someone else has, unbeknownst to you, already written exactly the book you're laboring over.
Quote examples
John Frankenheimer
American Director
A disk unbeknownst to the director can go to the producer in another city or in another office and that producer can edit behind the director's back much easier than in the old days. Since these dailies are now put on videotape, more kinds of people have access to dailies.
Quote examples
Nina Dobrev
Canadian Actress
I went on a date once with a police officer, unbeknownst to me. I thought he was a regular guy. And when I found out that he was a police officer... I wasn't so into it. I got paranoid that I would illegally cross the street and get a ticket for jay walking.
Quote examples
Alain de Botton
English Writer
Parent and child may both love, but - unbeknown to the child - each party is on a different end of the axis. This is why, in adulthood, when we first long for 'love', what we mean is that we want to 'be loved' as we were once loved by a parent.
Quote examples
Esme Creed-Miles
English Actress
You have your assigned sex but gender is more of a construct and I think one that is incredibly disillusioning and I think when we buy into those constructs then we start to maybe, unbeknownst to ourselves, cause real damage to our psyches.
Quote examples
Frank Gaffney
American Writer
Unbeknownst to most American investors, significant portions of their public pension, mutual fund, life insurance and private portfolios are comprised of stocks of privately held companies that partner with state sponsors of terror.
Quote examples
Ringo Starr
English Musician
I am a big Beatles fan. And, you know, unbeknownst to anyone, I used to be one. But I have no problems of putting titles and lines from other songs in my songs, because they're great lines and great titles.
Quote examples
Ben Shahn
Lithuanian Artist
I remember traveling around in Arkansas with Senator Robinson, and I told him what this little trick was. He felt very much part of it and had me take pictures of people unbeknownst to them.
Quote examples
Tom Carper
American Politician
Unbeknownst to a lot of us, our children actually listen to just about everything we say and, even more so, watch everything we do. They notice the choices we make and the company we keep.
Quote examples
Trevor Rabin
South African Musician
Well, unbeknownst to everybody, I did a movie when I was 19.
Example 1 of 10
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