unexpectedly

[uhn-ik-spek-tid-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that is surprising or unforeseen.

   One of her friends passed away unexpectedly this week.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unexpectedly¹

unexpected ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

“You always step in . . . always . . . your mates, my mates, my people,” Jacob says, and rushes to the fore, landing a single punch on a stranger that proves unexpectedly fatal.

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German industrial production slipped unexpectedly sharply in August, reflecting the impact of uncertainty prompted by rising U.S. tariffs on the sector.

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Sales of pending homes unexpectedly rebounded in August ahead of a widely anticipated cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve this month, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors released Monday.

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German exports unexpectedly declined in August, hampered by weaker trade with other European nations and the uncertainty prompted by U.S. tariffs over the summer.

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They were looking at “scurfy” mice; males are unexpectedly born with flaky skin and enlarged spleens and only live for a few weeks, because their organs are attacked by their own immune cells.

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Related Words

• quickly 
• suddenly 
• unusually www.thesaurus.com