Unsolicited
adjective
Not asked for and often not wanted.
Lisa was just telling a friend about her weekend plans when her coworker jumped in with unsolicited advice about where to eat and what to do. She smiled politely but wished people would wait to be asked before sharing their opinions. It happens all the time at the office.
This meaning is about something that is given or sent without being requested. Imagine you’re talking about a problem at work, and a friend suddenly starts telling you exactly what you should do — even though you never asked for help. That advice is unsolicited. This is something offered without anyone requesting it. You might get unsolicited emails trying to sell you things, or someone could give you unsolicited opinions about your lifestyle choices. Or picture opening your mailbox and finding it full of unsolicited flyers and advertisements you never signed up for. The word often carries a slightly negative feeling — it suggests the person on the receiving end didn’t want it. ✏️ It’s not always negative though — an unsolicited compliment from a stranger can actually make your whole day better.
Vivid example: Tom had just bought his first car and was really proud of it. His uncle immediately started giving him unsolicited tips about maintenance, insurance, and driving habits. Tom appreciated the concern but wished he had been given a chance to enjoy the moment first.
Examples from the street:
“Nobody asked for your unsolicited opinion.” → Nobody wanted your view — you just gave it without being asked
“I keep getting unsolicited emails from companies I’ve never heard of.” → I keep receiving unwanted messages from unknown businesses
“She offered some unsolicited advice about my relationship — and honestly, she was right.” → She gave me guidance I didn’t ask for about my love life — and it turned out to be accurate
Unsolicited as not asked for or unwanted — VERY COMMON:
– unsolicited advice → guidance or suggestions that nobody requested
– unsolicited opinion → a personal view shared without anyone asking for it
– unsolicited comment(s) → remarks offered without being invited to speak
– unsolicited feedback → criticism or evaluation that wasn’t requested
Unsolicited in communication and marketing:
– unsolicited email(s)/message(s)/call(s) → contact from someone you didn’t invite, often spam
– unsolicited mail → letters or promotional material sent without being requested (junk mail)
– unsolicited text(s) → text messages you didn’t ask to receive
Unsolicited in formal and professional contexts:
– unsolicited application/CV/proposal → a job application or business proposal sent without a vacancy or invitation
– unsolicited offer/bid → a purchase or business offer made without being requested
– unsolicited testimonial → a recommendation or endorsement given voluntarily without being asked
Example Sentences
1. I love my mother-in-law, but she’s constantly giving me unsolicited advice about how to raise my children
→ I’m fond of my partner’s mother, but she never stops offering unwanted suggestions about how I should bring up my kids.
2. He shared his unsolicited opinion on my outfit, and it completely ruined my confidence
→ He volunteered his unrequested view about what I was wearing, and it totally destroyed my self-assurance.
3. My inbox is full of unsolicited emails from companies trying to sell me things I don’t need
→ My email is packed with unwanted messages from businesses attempting to push products I have no use for.
4. The company received an unsolicited offer to buy the entire business for £30 million
→ The firm was approached with an unexpected proposal to purchase the whole operation for thirty million pounds.
5. She sent an unsolicited application to her dream company — and they actually invited her for an interview
→ She submitted a speculative job enquiry to the firm she most wanted to work for — and they genuinely called her in for a meeting.
6. The best unsolicited feedback I ever received was from a stranger who said my presentation changed their perspective
→ The most valuable unrequested reaction I ever got was from someone I didn’t know who told me my talk shifted the way they think.
7. New regulations aim to crack down on unsolicited calls from telemarketers
→ Fresh rules are designed to clamp down on unwanted phone contact from people trying to sell things.
8. He left an unsolicited comment on her post criticising her grammar — which everyone found rude
→ He wrote an unrequested remark under her message pointing out language errors — which everybody thought was impolite.
9. The film received an unsolicited testimonial from a famous director, which boosted ticket sales enormously
→ The movie got a voluntary endorsement from a well-known filmmaker, which increased the number of people buying seats massively.
10. Please don’t send unsolicited messages to people on LinkedIn — it’s unprofessional and annoying
→ Please don’t contact people on the business networking platform without being invited to — it looks bad and irritates them.
Learner Examples
1. Teachers sometimes receive unsolicited advice from parents about how to run their lessons — and it can be frustrating
→ Instructors occasionally get unwanted suggestions from families about how to manage their classes — and it can be quite annoying.
2. An unsolicited comment from a colleague about your teaching style can sting, but it’s sometimes worth reflecting on
→ An unrequested remark from a fellow teacher about the way you deliver lessons can hurt, but it’s occasionally worth thinking over.
✔ Native usage tips
– Unsolicited almost always carries a negative tone — while technically neutral, native speakers overwhelmingly use “unsolicited” to describe things that are unwelcome or annoying. “Unsolicited advice” is rarely a compliment — it implies someone is being nosy or overstepping
– “Unsolicited advice” is the most common combination by far — this collocation is so frequent that it’s almost a set phrase in English. People often use it with a tone of frustration or sarcasm: “Thanks for the unsolicited advice” usually means the opposite
– It’s a fairly formal word — in casual speech, native speakers are more likely to say “nobody asked you” or “I didn’t ask for your opinion” rather than using “unsolicited.” You’ll hear the word more in written English, news, business, and legal contexts
– Common in legal and business language — “unsolicited offer” and “unsolicited proposal” are standard terms in corporate and legal settings. An unsolicited takeover bid, for example, is when a company tries to buy another without being invited to
– Used humorously on social media — people often joke about giving “unsolicited” opinions or advice online, especially as a self-aware way of saying “I know nobody asked, but…” It’s become part of internet culture
– Pronunciation note — the stress falls on the third syllable: un-suh-LIS-uh-tid. Learners sometimes stress it incorrectly on the first or second syllable
✔ Similar expressions / words
– Uninvited → focuses on not being asked to come, speak, or participate; more about presence or action than information; “an uninvited guest” is someone who turned up without being asked, while “unsolicited” is more about opinions, advice, and communication
– Unwanted → the broadest and most informal equivalent; simply means not desired; lacks the formal, specific tone of “unsolicited” — “unwanted messages” sounds casual, while “unsolicited messages” sounds official or legal
– Unwarranted → stronger than unsolicited; implies not only unrequested but also unjustified; “unwarranted criticism” suggests the criticism has no basis, while “unsolicited criticism” simply means it wasn’t asked for