was completely unaware

USAGE SUMMARY

'was completely unaware' is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when you wish to convey that someone had no knowledge of something. For example, "The teacher was completely unaware that the student had been caught cheating."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Until she reached out to the factory, the designer was completely unaware of this issue.

Forbes

I was completely unaware of it.

Harvard University

"I was completely unaware," Dr. Williams said.

The New York Times

And she was completely unaware of it.

The New York Times - Health

Packham said he was "completely unaware of this travesty".

The Guardian

Detective Constable Simon Osland told the court that Mrs Frade was "completely unaware" of the vehicle.

The Times

"When I started investigating, I was completely unaware that such a series might exist.

The Guardian - Books

"My wife was completely unaware that I did this," he wrote.

The New Yorker

In retrospect, the company was facing an inflection point and was completely unaware.

The New Yorker

I obviously have a lot of hatred inside me, which I was completely unaware of.

The New Yorker

Until I was 10 years old, I was completely unaware that I had a relative.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was completely unaware" to emphasize a total lack of knowledge, especially when highlighting a surprising or consequential oversight. For example, "The company was completely unaware of the security breach until customer complaints surfaced."

Common error

While "was completely unaware" is generally acceptable, avoid overuse in highly formal or academic writing. Consider more nuanced alternatives like "remained uninformed" or "lacked awareness" to maintain a sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was completely unaware" functions as a descriptive phrase, indicating a state of lacking knowledge or consciousness about something. It is frequently used to highlight a surprising lack of information, as shown in Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Academia

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was completely unaware" is a common and grammatically sound way to express a lack of knowledge or understanding. As Ludwig AI underlines, it is prevalent in news and media, with a neutral register that makes it adaptable to various contexts. While highly versatile, it's recommended to consider more sophisticated alternatives like "remained uninformed" in formal or academic settings. Related phrases such as "had no idea" or "was totally oblivious" can provide stylistic variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had no idea

More informal and direct, implying a total lack of knowledge.

did not realize

Simple and direct way to say that someone didn't understand a situation.

was totally oblivious

Emphasizes a lack of perception or attention to something.

was uninformed

Focuses on the absence of information.

knew nothing about

A basic expression of lacking any knowledge on a subject.

remained ignorant

Highlights a continued state of lacking knowledge.

was in the dark

An idiomatic expression meaning to be kept uninformed.

had no inkling

Suggests a complete absence of even a slight suspicion or hint.

was unconscious of

Implies a lack of mental awareness or perception.

was unsuspecting

Highlights that the person was not expecting something to happen.

FAQs

How can I use "was completely unaware" in a sentence?

You can use "was completely unaware" to indicate a lack of knowledge about a particular fact or situation. For example, "He was completely unaware that the meeting had been canceled."

What can I say instead of "was completely unaware"?

You can use alternatives like "had no idea", "was totally oblivious", or "did not realize" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "were completely unaware"?

Yes, "were completely unaware" is correct when referring to a plural subject. For example, "They were completely unaware of the risks involved."

What's the difference between "was unaware" and "was completely unaware"?

"Was unaware" implies a general lack of knowledge, while "was completely unaware" emphasizes a total absence of knowledge. The latter is a stronger statement.