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Showing results for unprecedented. Search instead for unprevented.
Synonyms

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
unprecedented British  
/ ʌnˈprɛsɪˌdɛntɪd /

adjective

  1. having no precedent; unparalleled

"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

Other Word Forms

  • unprecedentedly adverb
  • unprecedentedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unprecedented

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

That is high for an aerospace and defense company, but not unprecedented.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The request was unprecedented: It demanded not only publicly available voter data, such as names and addresses, but also sensitive information, including driver’s license and Social Security numbers.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

“His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

It also decided to release an unprecedented 400 million barrels from emergency reserves.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Federal Reserve took the shocking and unprecedented step of buying bad subprime mortgage bonds directly from the banks.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.