unto

preposition

un·​to ˈən-(ˌ)tü How to pronounce unto (audio)
1
: to
2
used as a function word to indicate reference or concern
they became a world unto themselvesAnne T. Fleming

Examples of unto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Certainly, the Germany of 1932 was a place unto itself. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 Justice Rebecca Bradley, one of the court's three conservative justices, began her dissent by quoting a Bible verse that calls for rendering unto God the things that are God's. Todd Richmond, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 But now the Oscars red carpet is a full-on industry unto itself, wherein major designers custom-make multiple gowns with the hope that someone like Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, or Reese Witherspoon will choose their creation to wear on one of the world’s biggest stages. Glamour, 27 Feb. 2024 But the Internet is not so much a forum as a language unto itself, one with its own history, predilections, and prejudices. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024 Predicting the future is a business unto itself with pundits, futurists, scientists, engineers, and more constantly sharing their musings the future. Deborah Wince-Smith, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Just not enough here, as Harness too often treats slowness as a virtue unto itself, without doing enough to make the patient approach feel worth it. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024 These days Fort Monroe is a small town unto itself, with houses, a museum, parks, a pier and even a restaurant. Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2024 Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Reserve On top of it all, Ritz Carlton Reserve resorts are meant to be destinations unto themselves, and with all of the aforementioned activities and amenities, what seals the deal for an all-in-one-destination will always be onsite dining. Byrachel King, Fortune, 25 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably from un- (as in until) + to to

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near unto

Cite this Entry

“Unto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unto. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unto

preposition
un·​to ˌən-tə How to pronounce unto (audio)
ˈən-tü

More from Merriam-Webster on unto

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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