Uninvited means showing up or being present somewhere without being asked or welcome. When someone arrives uninvited to a birthday party, they come even though they didn't receive an invitation. An uninvited guest at a family dinner is someone who appears without being included in the plans.

The word often carries an uncomfortable feeling. Uninvited visitors might make the host feel awkward or put on the spot. If you knock on a friend's door without calling first, you're technically an uninvited visitor, though close friends usually welcome each other anyway. But showing up uninvited to a more formal event, like a wedding or a carefully planned party, is considered rude because the hosts made specific plans about who would attend.

Uninvited can also describe things, not just people. Uninvited advice is when someone offers suggestions you didn't ask for. Uninvited opinions come when people share their thoughts even though no one wanted to hear them. An uninvited memory might pop into your head when you're trying to focus on something else.

The word reminds us that being included matters. People often feel valued when they're invited and uncomfortable when they're uninvited.