definitions

unexpected

[ uhn-ik-spek-tid ]
/ ˌʌn ɪkˈspɛk tɪd /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR unexpected ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not expected; unforeseen; surprising: an unexpected pleasure; an unexpected development.

RELATED CONTENT

“In Case Of” vs. “In The Event Of”: Which One Is Correct?Do you break the glass in case of emergency or in the event of emergency? The phrases in case of and in the event of are both prepositions. The first one means if it should occur. The second means if or when something happens. A preposition is a word or phrase that shows a relationship between two elements in a clause. Some common prepositions are …
READ MORE
Hashtags To Help You Get By On Social MediaSometimes, it's hard to keep track of all these hashtags and what they mean. So, we've rounded up some of our favorite hashtags from the past couple years to help you navigate the social media weeds. #amazeballs
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

suddenly, unusually, quickly, accidentally, circumstantially, unawares, startlingly

Nearby words

unexceptionable, unexceptional, unexcited, unexciting, unexcusable, unexpected, unexpendable, unexperienced, unexplainable, unexplained, unexploited

Origin of unexpected

First recorded in 1580–90; un-1 + expect + -ed2
Related formsun·ex·pect·ed·ly, adverbun·ex·pect·ed·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for unexpectedly

British Dictionary definitions for unexpectedly

unexpected

/ (ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd) /

adjective

surprising or unforeseen
Derived Formsunexpectedly, adverbunexpectedness, noun
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

Word Origin and History for unexpectedly

unexpected

adj.

1580s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of expect. Related: Unexpectedly.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper