unready
Americanadjective
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not ready; not made ready.
The new stadium is as yet unready for use.
-
not in a state of readiness; unprepared.
emotionally unready for success.
-
lacking in presence of mind, as when a quick decision or a sharp answer is required.
Awkward situations often found him unready.
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British Dialect. not dressed.
-
not prompt or quick.
adjective
-
not ready or prepared
-
slow or hesitant to see or act
-
archaic not dressed
Other Word Forms
- unreadily adverb
- unreadiness noun
Etymology
Origin of unready
First recorded in 1250–1300, unready is from the Middle English word unredy. See un- 1, ready
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.
The Cambodian government seems unready to address questions about the leak.
From BBC
As Beth, Sullivan delivers depth as the problem sister unready for the responsibilities thrust upon her and blanching at the destruction unfolding around her.
From Washington Post
They are children, as of yet unready to meet the demands of a relationship or a war, but they embrace the latter to deny the former.
From New York Times
It’s not just that he’s unready for prime time.
From Washington Post
It is an increasingly popular way to smooth the awkward high-school-to-college transition that has inflicted on unready teenagers such annoyances as scary SAT tests and slick college brochures.
From Washington Post
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.
