Unwanted means not desired, needed, or welcome. When something is unwanted, nobody asked for it and nobody wants to keep it. An unwanted gift sits in the back of your closet because you have no use for it. Unwanted advice from a stranger feels intrusive because you didn't ask for their opinion. Unwanted guests show up at your door when you're busy and hoping for quiet time alone.

The word often carries a sad or uncomfortable feeling. Unwanted toys get donated or thrown away. Unwanted phone calls interrupt your dinner. When applied to living things, the word can feel even heavier: an unwanted puppy at a shelter waits hopefully for someone to choose it, and unwanted plants in a garden (usually called weeds) get pulled out to make room for vegetables or flowers.

Sometimes what's unwanted by one person becomes treasured by another. Your unwanted book might be exactly what your friend has been hoping to read. That's why donation centers and hand-me-downs exist: they help match unwanted items with people who actually want them.