unforeseeable

adjective

un·​fore·​see·​able ˌən-fȯr-ˈsē-ə-bəl 

: not able to be reasonably anticipated or expected : not foreseeable

an unforeseeable event/problem

unforeseeably

ˌən-fȯr-ˈsē-ə-blē 

adverb

Examples of unforeseeable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ryan Davis, a singer and songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky, makes tuneful, funny music that’s vaguely rooted in country and indie-rock, but also leaves room for hard left turns, including unforeseeable breakbeats. —Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Rough-hewn and flinty, a movie star without stereotypical movie-star looks, Hackman gave even his humorous roles a sinister, unforeseeable edge, the way an animal's behavior is not entirely predictable. —David Morgan, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2025

Travel insurance is largely meant to cover unforeseeable events, said Chrissy Valdez, senior director of operations at Squaremouth. —Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2025

They got paid, though certainly not what would soon become the series’ fair market value — the show’s ceiling was unforeseeable when the paperwork was signed. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unforeseeable

• disagreeable
• unenviable
• agreeable
• foreseeable
• friable

Legal Definition

unforeseeable

adjective

un·​fore·​see·​able

ˌən-fōr-ˈsē-ə-bəl

: not capable of being reasonably anticipated or expected : such that a person of ordinary prudence would not expect to occur or exist under the circumstances

an unforeseeable misuse

an unforeseeable injury

unforeseeability

-ˌsē-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun