as in sudden
not expected
ran into some unanticipated difficulties with the computer program
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Recent Examples of unanticipated
The setbacks included a fuel leak and fire during a critical ground test, parachute problems, a redesign to accommodate unanticipated aerodynamic forces, and a computer timing error that cut short Starliner's first attempt to reach the space station in 2019.
—
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
But despite an initial satisfactory emergency response, city leaders failed to meet the unanticipated recovery demands, leaving residents’ needs unmet, according to the audit.
—Jaelyn Rodriguez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2025
The state saved hundreds of millions of dollars with these measures, but the savings were largely offset by unanticipated cost increases elsewhere since the 2023 forecast.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The work of the eclectic American futurist exerted a profound and unanticipated influence on China’s digital transformation since the 1980s.
—Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unanticipated
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
But despite an initial satisfactory emergency response, city leaders failed to meet the unanticipated recovery demands, leaving residents’ needs unmet, according to the audit.
—Jaelyn Rodriguez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2025
The state saved hundreds of millions of dollars with these measures, but the savings were largely offset by unanticipated cost increases elsewhere since the 2023 forecast.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The work of the eclectic American futurist exerted a profound and unanticipated influence on China’s digital transformation since the 1980s.
—Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unanticipated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unanticipated
Adjective
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The Sun’s entry into your 11th house on the 22nd brings focus to your social circles, but the square to Uranus on the 24th may lead to sudden changes in friendships or group dynamics.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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An unexpected, sudden layoff can feel like you’re blindsided by a truck.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Pierson’s rise, powered in part by promoting her one-time net worth estimate from Forbes, almost led her into an unexpected deal… Forbes itself.—
Monica Hunter-Hart,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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When an unexpected request comes from a dissident singer in hiding, his solitude and routine is broken — and so is to an extent his passivity.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unanticipated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unanticipated. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
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