unscathed

adjective

un·​scathed ˌən-ˈskāt͟hd How to pronounce unscathed (audio)
: wholly unharmed : not injured

Did you know?

Can you be scathed instead of unscathed?

We often hear of a person coming through some difficult circumstance, or dangerous endeavor, and “emerging unscathed,” yet we rarely hear of anyone “emerging scathed.” Why is this? Scathe is a word: it may function as a noun (“harm, injury”) or as a verb (“to do harm to,” “to assail with withering denunciation”). It is not as commonly found as it once was, and now primarily serves as the basis for the adjective scathing (“bitterly severe”) or for the latter portion of unscathed. So you can say that someone “emerged scathed” if you wish, but be advised that it will have a curiously archaic sound to it.

Examples of unscathed in a Sentence

She escaped from the wreckage unscathed. The administration was left relatively unscathed by the scandal.
Recent Examples on the Web And good news: Our travel stroller made it to its destination unscathed this time. Cecily McAndrews, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024 Smoky was the only one to make it out of the encounter unscathed. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 Harrison recorded his second strikeout to end the inning unscathed, freezing James Outman with a 94-mph fastball on the outside corner. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 But Martin did not finish Saturday’s game unscathed, leaving the contest with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter after Butler’s hand hit him in the mouth. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 Getting through the remainder of the season unscathed would help matters as well. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024 Somehow water must pass unscathed from placid molecular clouds through sizzling star-forming disks. Shannon Hall, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024 No window, no car, no neighbor was guaranteed to escape the baseball obsession unscathed. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 Under their penetrating gaze, no mother or son is inhuman, and neither is unscathed. Mark Harris Keita Morimoto, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unscathed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unscathed was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unscathed

Cite this Entry

“Unscathed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unscathed. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unscathed

adjective
un·​scathed ˌən-ˈskāt͟hd How to pronounce unscathed (audio)
ˈən-
: completely unharmed : not injured
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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