unexpected

[ uhn-ik-spek-tid ]

/ ˌʌn ɪkˈspɛk tɪd /

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See synonyms for unexpected on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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

OTHER WORDS FOR unexpected

unanticipated.

See synonyms for unexpected on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of unexpected

First recorded in 1580–90; un-¹ + expect + -ed²

synonym study for unexpected

See sudden.

OTHER WORDS FROM unexpected

un·ex·pect·ed·ly, adverbun·ex·pect·ed·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use unexpected in a sentence

The NFL game has adapted very well’For 2020 rookies, the limited offseason may have created an unexpected benefit.
Rookie QBs were expected to struggle this year. Instead they’re setting a record pace.|Adam Kilgore|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
It has been a year full of the unexpected for families who have had to quickly adjust to masks, quarantines and virtual and hybrid learning, all thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Telepresence’ robots are making virtual school feel a little more like real school|Jennifer Davis|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
Some voters in Georgia and Ohio had to use paper ballots after hand sanitizer leaked into voting machines — an unexpected casualty of the pandemic.
Decrypted: Grayshift raises $47M, Apple bugs under attack, video game maker hacked|Zack Whittaker|November 9, 2020|TechCrunch
The result is a look that is fresh and unexpected, while also classic.
Shopping with the pros: Annie Elliott shares her favorite items from Room & Board|Mari-Jane Williams|November 5, 2020|Washington Post

Singapore’s universal coverage is based on the idea that patients should pay for routine care, and reserve insurance coverage for large and unexpected costs.
How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully) (Ep. 438)|Stephen J. Dubner|November 5, 2020|Freakonomics
"There's nae word o' Mysie yet," said Nellie, when he came in, and her words seemed to shock him with their unexpectedness.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
On opening his eyes he found that evening had sunk to dusk in a strange manner of unexpectedness.
Far from the Madding Crowd|Thomas Hardy
Others dwell upon the unexpectedness of the event, and try to assign its causes and probabilities.
The Histories of Polybius, Vol. II (of 2)|Polybius
But as he stepped into the Station's lock, a new thought crossed his mind, almost dazzling him with its unexpectedness.
Derelict|Alan Edward Nourse
He was simply regarding the harrowing contingencies of human experience, the unexpectedness of things.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles|Thomas Hardy

British Dictionary definitions for unexpected

unexpected

/ (ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd) /

adjective

surprising or unforeseen

Derived forms of unexpected

unexpectedly, 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

unexpected

OTHER WORDS FOR unexpected

Origin of unexpected

synonym study for unexpected

OTHER WORDS FROM unexpected

Words related to unexpected

How to use unexpected in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unexpected

Derived forms of unexpected