unawares

[ uhn-uh-wairz ]
See synonyms for unawares on Thesaurus.com
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.

Origin of unawares

1
First recorded in 1525–35; unaware + -s1

Words Nearby unawares

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use unawares in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unawares

unawares

/ (ˌʌnəˈwɛəz) /


adverb
  1. without prior warning or plan; unexpectedly: she caught him unawares

  2. without being aware of or knowing: he lost it unawares

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012