unopened
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnˈəʊpənd/
US
- /əˈnoʊpənd/
Description
- sealed
- not yet opened
- with the seal intact
- still in its package
Something that is unopened has not been opened yet, so its seal, lid, wrapper, or envelope is still intact. Think of a new box of cookies still wrapped in plastic, an unopened letter waiting on the table, or an unopened gift sitting by the door. The word often suggests freshness, privacy, or simple delay: the contents are still inside, and no one has looked at or used them yet.
Most often, "unopened" is used for physical things such as food, drinks, packages, letters, bottles, jars, and boxes. It can sometimes be used more broadly for things that have not started or been looked at, but that is less common. In everyday English, the clearest idea is simple: it has not been opened.
The word "unopened" describes something that has not been opened, usually because its seal, cap, wrapper, or envelope is still in place. It often refers to physical objects that can be opened and then used, consumed, or examined. An unopened bottle of water, an unopened jar of jam, an unopened package, or an unopened letter all fit this idea well. The word tells you that the item is still in its original state.
In many everyday situations, "unopened" also carries an extra suggestion. Food may seem fresher if it is unopened. A gift feels more mysterious if it is unopened. A letter may seem private because no one has read it yet. In this way, the word often points not only to the physical condition of something, but also to what is still hidden inside.
This word is used most naturally for real objects, especially containers, packaging, and mail. People commonly say "an unopened bottle," "an unopened box," "an unopened packet," or "an unopened letter." It can sometimes appear in wider or more creative writing, but those uses are less common and may sound literary rather than everyday.
For example: "She found an unopened carton of juice in the fridge." Another example is: "The unopened letter stayed on his desk for a week." In both cases, the idea is clear and practical: nobody has opened the item yet.
Overall, "unopened" is a straightforward word for something still sealed or still closed, with its contents not yet seen, used, or disturbed. It is a small word, but it often carries a quiet sense of freshness, privacy, or waiting.
Examples
- 1
Mail
The letter lay unopened on the table for a week.
- 2
Wedding gifts
Most of the wedding gifts were still unopened when they moved house.
- 3
Product returns
Please return the headphones in their original, unopened packaging.
- 4
Kitchen supplies
I found an unopened bottle of olive oil at the back of the cupboard.
- 5
Digital messages
Her message stayed unopened in my inbox all weekend.
Meaning
an unopened message
one you have not clicked or read yet
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- unopenedadjective