what has been seen cannot be unseen
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: that which has been seen cannot be unseen
Meaning · English
Repulsive, disturbing, or horrific sights can never be erased from memory once they have been seen.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Những gì đã được nhìn thấy không thể bị xóa khỏi ký ức
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
At Dachau he was witness to real rather than abstract suffering; what has been seen cannot be unseen, nor can it be rationalized.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “what has been seen cannot be unseen” mean?
Repulsive, disturbing, or horrific sights can never be erased from memory once they have been seen.
Is “what has been seen cannot be unseen” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.