as in sudden
not expected
the failure of the backup generator was unexpected and a contingency for which we weren't prepared
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Recent Examples of unexpected
Instead of leaning into the fit’s natural cowboy aesthetic, designers interpreted the fits in a variety of unexpected ways.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 May 2025
The Aries solar eclipse on the 29th highlights your relationships—so be open to unexpected shifts in this arena.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
The sudden job cuts appear to have been completely unexpected for those affected.
—ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
Aaron Rodgers clearly enjoys holding the NFL hostage: The NFL’s lamest offseason storyline had a new – but not unexpected – twist Thursday when Aaron Rodgers had thoughts on the New York Jets and new head coach Aaron Glenn.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unexpected
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 May 2025
The Aries solar eclipse on the 29th highlights your relationships—so be open to unexpected shifts in this arena.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
The sudden job cuts appear to have been completely unexpected for those affected.
—ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
Aaron Rodgers clearly enjoys holding the NFL hostage: The NFL’s lamest offseason storyline had a new – but not unexpected – twist Thursday when Aaron Rodgers had thoughts on the New York Jets and new head coach Aaron Glenn.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unexpected
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexpected
Adjective
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On April 28th, a sudden frequency drop in Spain’s power grid triggered cascading shutdowns, leaving millions without power.—
Mark Le Dain,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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Then, all of a sudden, one of those teams had one of the top five players in the league fall right in its lap.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unexpected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexpected. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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