unready

[uhn-red-ee]

adjective

1. not ready; not made ready.

   The new stadium is as yet unready for use.

2. not in a state of readiness; unprepared.

   emotionally unready for success.

3. lacking in presence of mind, as when a quick decision or a sharp answer is required.

   Awkward situations often found him unready.

4. British Dialect.,  not dressed.

5. not prompt or quick.

unready

/ ʌnˈrɛdɪ /

adjective

1. not ready or prepared

2. slow or hesitant to see or act

3. archaic,  not dressed

Other Word Forms

• unreadiness noun
• unreadily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unready¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, unready is from the Middle English word unredy. See un- ¹, ready

Example Sentences

The Cambodian government seems unready to address questions about the leak.

Read more on BBC

As in 2016, the people seemed unready for the transformative potential of a woman’s leadership, much less a woman of color — a vision that remains, tragically, beyond the nation’s collective horizon.

Read more on Salon

Apparently, its producer, the British Film Institute, deemed the public unready for Ové’s blunt depiction of the police violence and racial animus directed at London’s West Indian residents in Brixton.

Read more on New York Times

In 2024, democracy will face a test for which it is unready.

Read more on Seattle Times

Worst of all, these documents tell Putin that the Pentagon is dubious about prospects for Ukrainian success — for totally wrongheaded reasons — and is still unready to make that success possible.

Read more on Seattle Times

Related Words

• heavy 
• inactive 
• lethargic 
• listless 
• slack 
• slow 
• stagnant