unexpected
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See sudden.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unexpected
Explanation
Use the adjective unexpected to describe something that takes you by surprise. An unexpected knock on your front door might make you jump. When you don't anticipate something, and have no clue that it's coming, you can call it unexpected. A successful surprise party is always unexpected, and an unexpected visitor can be exciting or inconvenient, depending on who it is. If you expect an event, you know it's going to occur, but if it's unexpected, it seems to come from nowhere. The Latin root is expectare, "await, look out for, desire, or hope."
Vocabulary lists containing unexpected
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 22–April 28, 2023
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Week 5: Scientific Viewpoints
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Strange
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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.
Whatever we make on the sale of the home will go toward rebuilding our savings to give us a cushion for unexpected expenses.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
Beyond revealing an unexpected feature of a familiar species, the findings demonstrate how new research techniques can uncover biological traits that have escaped scientific attention for decades.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
Passengers on a luxury ship touring the world were told their unexpected final stop was Cambodia after the cruise company suspended operations, citing fuel costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Scott Stewart, who leads a trade group that represents online lenders, said MCAs can be useful when a small business needs quick cash to cover an unexpected expense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Cynthia has conflicted feelings about her mother—she understands that Joey was forced down an unexpected path because of her illness, but she also feels abandoned, and sorrowful that they lived separate lives.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
