unawares

American  

[uhn-uh-wairz] / ˌʌn əˈwɛərz /

adverb

1. while not aware or conscious of a thing oneself; unknowingly or inadvertently.

2. without warning; by surprise; suddenly; unexpectedly.

   to come upon someone unawares.

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unawares British  

/ ˌʌnəˈwɛəz /

adverb

1. without prior warning or plan; unexpectedly

   she caught him unawares

2. without being aware of or knowing

   he lost it unawares

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Etymology

Origin of unawares

First recorded in 1525–35; unaware + -s ¹

Example Sentences

Although heavy rain had been battering the area for hours, many, like Guillermo Serrano Pérez and his family, were caught unawares by the force of the floods.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2024

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

Because forecasters were caught unawares, so were local residents, who only expected perhaps a Category 2 storm.

From Scientific American • Oct. 25, 2023

Or perhaps radioactivity would bring about a dystopian nightmare: As Rutherford liked to say, "Some fool in a laboratory might blow up the universe unawares" by triggering a planetary chain reaction.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2023

Did he think to take them unawares while they slept?

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin