unprecedented

American  

[uhn-pres-i-den-tid] / ʌnˈprɛs ɪˌdɛn tɪd /

adjective

1. without previous instance; never before known or experienced; unexampled or unparalleled.

   an unprecedented event.

   Synonyms:

   novel, exceptional, extraordinary, unique

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unprecedented British  

/ ʌnˈprɛsɪˌdɛntɪd /

adjective

1. having no precedent; unparalleled

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Other Word Forms

• unprecedentedly adverb
• unprecedentedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unprecedented

First recorded in 1615–25; un- ¹ + precedent + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The authorities imposed an unprecedented internet blackout on January 8, as protests exploded in size and intensity, severely hampering the demonstrators' ability to communicate with each other and the outside world.

From Barron's

Sources close to the Kabul group and within the Taliban government described what happened next - an almost unprecedented moment in the Taliban's history.

From BBC

Similarly, facing accusations that China is spying on an unprecedented scale, Beijing has tried to redirect the spotlight by calling out others for spying on China.

From The Wall Street Journal

All of them have been objecting to the time on remand ahead of trials, which are up to a year away due to the unprecedented court backlogs.

From BBC

Yet the stock market has historically had a hard time quantifying the consequences of these types of risk, which helps explain the rather blasé reaction to unprecedented events.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bizarre
• extraordinary
• fantastic
• miraculous
• new
• remarkable
• singular
• uncommon
• unheard-of
• unique
• unparalleled
• unrivaled
• unusual