unreconciled

Unreconciled is an adjective used to describe a state in which parties, memories, or accounts have not been brought into agreement or harmony. It is often applied to ongoing disputes, unresolved differences, or lingering grievances that resist resolution.

The term derives from reconcile, which comes from Latin reconciliāre. It is used across domains to flag that a process of bringing together divergent elements has not occurred, and it contrasts with reconciled, meaning settled or harmonized.

In personal contexts, unreconciled relationships imply that individuals have not forgiven or settled misunderstandings. In politics and international relations, unreconciled legacies refer to unresolved historical grievances, conflicts, or rivalries that continue to shape diplomacy and citizenship. In history and memory discourse, unreconciled pasts describe events that societies have not fully acknowledged or integrated. In accounting or data management, unreconciled balances or transactions denote items that remain unmatched between records.

The presence of unreconciled issues can affect social cohesion, justice, and psychological well-being. Processes such as truth-telling, apology, reparations, and dialogue strive to move communities toward reconciliation, but unreconciled elements may persist. As a descriptor, unreconciled is sometimes used in literature and media to evoke tension around unresolved motives or ethical divides. It also functions as a general label for any matter awaiting resolution.

See also: reconciliation.