unanticipated

adjective

un·​an·​tic·​i·​pat·​ed ˌən-an-ˈti-sə-ˌpā-təd 

: not anticipated : unexpected, unforeseen

unanticipatedly adverb

Synonyms of unanticipated

• sudden
• unexpected

Examples of unanticipated in a Sentence

The new policy has had some unanticipated side effects.

ran into some unanticipated difficulties with the computer program

Recent Examples on the Web

Even though the visit may not feel very different to patients, some clinicians report that ambient AI scribes are changing patient encounters in unanticipated ways. —Michelle Andrews, ABC News, 26 Jan. 2026

One of these often unanticipated costs is for veterinary bills that may break the family budget. —David L. Weimer, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026

For a tool with some 20 million monthly active users—who inevitably interact with the model in unanticipated ways—that ability to generalize values is vital for safety. —Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 21 Jan. 2026

Americans report having an emergency fund to cover unanticipated expenses of $1,000 or more. —Mark Davis, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1779, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unanticipated

• ameliorated
• decontaminated
• deoxygenated
• deteriorated
• differentiated
• disarticulated
• excommunicated
• incapacitated
• individuated
• misappropriated
• monounsaturated
• multinucleated