unprepared

adjective

un·​pre·​pared ˌən-pri-ˈperd How to pronounce unprepared (audio)
Synonyms of unpreparednext
: 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 How to pronounce unprepared (audio)
also -ˈperd-nəs
noun

Examples of unprepared in a Sentence

an obviously unprepared acceptance speech by the surprise winner
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In December, Chelsea’s players looked inexplicably unprepared for the intensity of this long-time rivalry and were caught out via defensive errors. Cerys Jones, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Nepal has made efforts to crack down on the number of unprepared climbers, such as raising climbing fees and introducing a bill that would restrict Everest only to climbers with experience of scaling at least one of the Himalayan nation’s 7,000-meter (22,965 ft) peaks. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 However, the weather took a turn over the weekend, dropping 3–5 inches of snow on the mountain pass that search and rescue teams believe Wood was unprepared for. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026 Vought testified that all components of the Department of Homeland Security are unfunded, including the disaster relief fund, leaving the federal government unprepared to respond to natural disasters. Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unprepared

Word History

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unprepared was in 1528

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unprepared.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprepared. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on unprepared

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster