as in suddenly
without warning
the unanticipatedly high fuel prices had many people wondering how they were going to keep warm that winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unanticipatedly
Adverb
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They were headed home when the fresh snow, light and soft, suddenly descended from the slopes as one of the most ferocious forces of nature.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026 -
Multiply that pause by a full plane, and suddenly, boarding feels endless and contributes to delays.—
Julie Rousseau,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Cardiac arrest occurs when a person’s heart stops beating unexpectedly, which in turn stops blood flow to the brain and other organs.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Feb. 2026
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For decades, scientists have found that the ice giant’s upper atmosphere is unexpectedly cooling—and these latest measurements show that trend is still going.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
24 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Unanticipatedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unanticipatedly. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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