Synonyms

unexpected

American

[uhn-ik-spek-tid] / ˌʌn ɪkˈspɛk tɪd /

adjective

not expected; unforeseen; surprising.

an unexpected pleasure;
an unexpected development.

unexpected British

/ ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd /

adjective

surprising or unforeseen

"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

Related Words

See sudden.

Other Word Forms

unexpectedly adverb
unexpectedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unexpected

First recorded in 1580–90; un- ¹ + expect + -ed ²

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.

The most unexpected use of materials comes courtesy of Charles Hickey at Feia, who creates his images using a 3-D pen.

From The Wall Street Journal

Army’s Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin suggests that prediction-market data—including sudden or unexpected changes in trading behavior—can serve as a valuable source of information for intelligence agencies.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected.

From Barron's

While reviewing satellite and remote sensing data, Ochwat noticed something unexpected.

From Science Daily

Toward the end of the evening, there was an unexpected confessional.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023