unbeaten

Unbeaten is an English adjective used to describe a person, team, or entity that has not been defeated in a contest or series of competitions. It derives from the prefix un- and the past participle beaten, signaling the absence of defeat in a defined period. The term emphasizes current status rather than a completed record and is commonly used in sports reporting.

In sports, a team or athlete may be described as unbeaten or undefeated when they have not suffered a loss during a specified stretch. The distinction between "unbeaten" and "undefeated" is subtle and varies by context; "unbeaten" often foregrounds ongoing status, while "undefeated" may carry a more formal or absolute sense. Unbeaten runs or unbeaten records are counted as the sequence of events without defeat, with draws typically permitted in many leagues.

Beyond athletics, unbeaten can appear in figurative language. For example, "the unbeaten path" is a variant of the more common idiom "off the beaten path," used to describe choices or routes that are less conventional. In everyday usage, the exact sense of "unbeaten" is determined by the surrounding context and the sport or field it describes.

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