unsee

verb

un·​see ˌən-ˈsē How to pronounce unsee (audio)
unsaw ˌən-ˈsȯ How to pronounce unsee (audio) ; unseeing; unsees

transitive verb

1
: to fail to see (something) : to avoid seeing (something)
Countless people have studied the painting and never seen the hidden likeness in it. Yet, once it comes to your attention, you can't unsee it again.— Kenneth Baker
2
: to forget having seen (something) : to erase the image of (something) from one's memory
Like at the porn expo, you see things at the poker expo you can never unsee.— Bill Simmons

Examples of unsee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Revisit the gnarly snippet of nature and try, try to unsee it. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Dec. 2024 Though Easter writes gracefully and gently, no reader will be able to unsee the picture his narrative so clearly paints: the choices each of us makes three times a day have an impact on our world. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. — Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for unsee

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unsee
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Cite this Entry

“Unsee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsee. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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