Meaning & use
unsung hero
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableapproving
A person who does valuable or brave work but receives little public praise or notice.
Grammar: Plural unsung heroes; also used as a general description: the unsung hero of the team.
Patterns
- the unsung hero of something
- an unsung hero in something
The cleaner was the unsung hero of the hospital during the storm.
Our librarian is the unsung hero of the school.
Teachers are often the unsung heroes of their communities.
nouncountablehumorousfigurative
A thing, such as a tool or an ingredient, that quietly does an important job without getting credit.
Grammar: Figurative use for objects: the unsung hero of the recipe.
Patterns
- the unsung hero of something
Salt is the unsung hero of a good soup.
The humble spreadsheet is the unsung hero of the office.
A sturdy backpack was the unsung hero of the trip.
Word forms
| plural | unsung heroes |
|---|
Common combinations
- the unsung hero of
- She was the unsung hero of the project.
- true unsung hero
- He is a true unsung hero who never sought credit.
- unsung heroes of
- The unsung heroes of the festival were the volunteers.
- honor an unsung hero
- The town honored an unsung hero at the ceremony.
- quiet unsung hero
- The quiet unsung hero fixed the generator at midnight.
Synonyms and how they differ
- backstage worker
- Backstage worker literally means someone out of public view and does not carry the praise that unsung hero does.
- hidden gem
- Hidden gem suggests something valuable not yet discovered, while an unsung hero is already doing valuable work unnoticed.
- quiet achiever
- Quiet achiever emphasizes a modest personality, whereas unsung hero emphasizes lack of recognition.
- behind-the-scenes worker
- Behind-the-scenes worker describes the role, but unsung hero adds admiration for the person.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: unsung hero or unseen?
unsung hero vs unseen
Unseen only means not visible, while unsung means not praised, so a person can be seen and still unsung.
Practice
Who is best described as an unsung hero?
Choose one answer.
An unsung hero does important work without praise, like the quiet volunteer. The others already receive public attention.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unsung hero”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.