unawares
Americanadverb
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while not aware or conscious of a thing oneself; unknowingly or inadvertently.
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without warning; by surprise; suddenly; unexpectedly.
to come upon someone unawares.
adverb
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without prior warning or plan; unexpectedly
she caught him unawares
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without being aware of or knowing
he lost it unawares
Etymology
Origin of unawares
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.
Harteveldt also said the airlines are making schedule changes well ahead of peak summer travel season so as not to catch travelers unawares.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
Federal prosecutors disagreed, indicating they were caught unawares by his removal and still hoped to bring Flores to trial — if he ever returns to the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026
When asked why the riverside summer camp was not evacuated, officials said the sudden scale of the deluge caught them unawares.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2025
The entire plot is driven by Blackthorne’s revelation that even the Christian lords’ European allies are secretly building an army with which they intend to take all of Japan unawares.
From New York Times • Apr. 23, 2024
God Save the King had taken her unawares, she was still holding a plate heaped with chicken in aspic.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
