WordGarden.iounlit
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnlˈɪt/
US
- /ʌnlˈɪt/
Meanings
Adjective
not illuminated or not giving off light
Beyond the definition
"Unlit" describes something that has no light. You might use it for an unlit room, street, hallway, sign, candle, or screen. It often refers to places or objects that could give light or have light on them but are dark at that moment. The word is usually used in a literal way, especially when talking about spaces that are hard to see in or things that have not been set on fire or switched on.
The word "unlit" describes a person, place, or thing that is not giving off light or does not have light shining on it. In everyday English, it is most often used for physical spaces and objects: an unlit road, an unlit stairwell, an unlit screen, an unlit candle, or an unlit match. In these cases, the idea is simple: there is no light there, so the place or object is dark.
The word is often useful because it suggests that light might normally be expected. An unlit streetlamp is one that is not on. An unlit room is a room with no lamp or other light source working. An unlit cigarette or fire is one that has not been set alight yet. Because of that, "unlit" is a little more specific than just saying "dark."
Writers sometimes use "unlit" to build mood as well. An unlit hallway can feel unsafe, quiet, or tense. An unlit window can make a house seem empty. These uses still stay close to the literal meaning. More abstract uses are possible in creative writing, but they are much less common than the basic sense of something being dark because no light is present.
Examples
- 1
Outdoor path
We took a flashlight because the path to the cabin was unlit.
- 2
Street safety
She felt uneasy waiting alone on an unlit street.
- 3
Building lights
At six in the morning, most of the office windows were still unlit.
- 4
Cigarette
He sat by the window with an unlit cigarette in his hand.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- unlit room
- unlit street
- unlit path
- unlit corridor
Word family
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Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- unlitadjective