unprepared

adjective

un·​pre·​pared ˌən-pri-ˈperd 

: not prepared

was unprepared for class

… they were woefully unprepared to take on the responsibilities expected of them.

—Richard M. Ketchum

unpreparedness

ˌən-pri-ˈper-əd-nəs 

also -ˈperd-nəs

noun

Synonyms of unprepared

• impromptu
• improvised
• improvisational

Examples of unprepared in a Sentence

an obviously unprepared acceptance speech by the surprise winner

Recent Examples on the Web

However, too many organizations are unprepared to take advantage of it. — Rochelle Haynes, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Medical personnel are unprepared to diagnose the city’s first plague in a hundred years. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026

The care gap women still face Despite growing awareness, many women feel unprepared for this stage of life, and misconceptions cause many to delay seeking help. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026

One of the most striking moments in your article is your conversation with Raed Arafat, the head of Romania’s emergency services, who argues that an early warning system would cause more harm than good because the public is unprepared. — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing unprepared

• catch unawares/unprepared/by surprise

Rhymes for unprepared

• aired
• bared
• blared
• caird
• cared
• chaired
• dared
• erred
• fared
• flared
• glared
• haired