unforeseen
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something unforeseen is something that could not be predicted and was not expected. It's a surprise. If something was foreseen, you saw it coming and it wasn't a surprise. Something unforeseen is the opposite: no one saw it coming. Accidents are usually unforeseen events: no one expects to get in a car or bike accident on a given day. Winning the lottery, since it's so unlikely, would be an unforeseen event. If something was unanticipated or out of the blue, it was unforeseen. Unforeseen events can be good or bad, but they’re all surprises.
Vocabulary lists containing unforeseen
Power Prefix: un-
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World Without Fish
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: un-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An original $75 million set aside for unforeseen expenses in 2016 swelled to $309 million last year, and the rising cost of construction also added to the high price tag.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Based on these assets and income sources, I believe we should have enough to live comfortably, barring any significant unforeseen medical expenses later in life.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
After that shocking episode, Hackney’s life continued to shift in unforeseen ways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Ken spent £75,000 on his boat and a further £20,000 on unforeseen maintenance.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
A new kind of competition between Russia and the United States took shape that fall, a nuclear arms race that quickly raised the stakes of the Cold War to unforeseen and terrifying heights.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
