unwonted

adjective

un·​wont·​ed ˌən-ˈwȯn-təd  -ˈwōn- 

also -ˈwən-

or

-ˈwän- 

1

: being out of the ordinary : rare, unusual

… made his comeback with an unwonted show of humility.

—Walter Goodman

2

archaic : not accustomed by experience

unwontedly adverb

unwontedness noun

Synonyms of unwonted

• unusual
• extraordinary
• exceptional
• abnormal
• unique
• odd
• rare
• uncommon
• remarkable

Examples of unwonted in a Sentence

He was surprised by her unwonted cheerfulness.

honored for the unwonted courage he showed in battle

Recent Examples on the Web

As in most wars, the most onerous burden falls on those who did not sign up for their unwonted parts in this great 21st century drama. — New York Times, 1 Mar. 2021

Batson posed a follow-up question about the uncertainty principle, politely requesting a reply without unwonted nonsense about bananas. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026

The unwonted activism of the Christian Democratic chancellor met with skepticism in the United States, in Europe, and certainly in Russia. — Elizabeth Pond, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2015

Word History

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

unwonted

adjective

un·​wont·​ed ˌən-ˈwȯnt-əd  -ˈwōnt- 

ˈən-

: being out of the ordinary : rare, unusual