unactualized

Unactualized is an adjective describing something that has not yet become actual or realized. It can refer to states, events, plans, or outcomes that exist in possibility rather than in fact.

In philosophy and theoretical contexts, unactualized often contrasts with actualized. The concept echoes Aristotle's distinction between potentiality and actuality, where an unactualized state exists as a potential that can be actualized under appropriate conditions. In modal logic and metaphysics, statements about unactualized possibilities denote possible worlds or outcomes not realized in the actual world.

In everyday usage, unactualized is commonly applied to goals, ambitions, or plans that were conceived but not pursued or completed. It can carry a neutral descriptive sense or a critical one, depending on context: "unactualized dreams" may reflect constraints, choices, or missed opportunities.

Related terms include actuality, actualization, potentiality, and unrealized. The word is formed from the prefix un- plus actualize, and is more common in formal writing and philosophy than in casual speech.