adj
unbeknownst
uhn-bih-NOHNST
adj
1
Without the knowledge of someone; unknown to them.
"Unbeknownst to his parents, he had already dropped the class."
How to Use Unbeknownst
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHappening without a particular person knowing about it.
When to use it
Almost always used in the fixed phrase "unbeknownst to [someone]," and leans slightly formal or literary.
Common pairings
unbeknownst to him
unbeknownst to us
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_____ to his parents, he had already dropped the class.
Etymology
A variant of the older word "unbeknown," with an extra "-st" added the same way it was tacked onto words like "amongst" and "amidst."