Synonyms of unawares

unawares

adverb

ˌən-ə-ˈwerz 

as in suddenly

without warning

the thunderstorm caught us unawares, and we scrambled to get off the ridge as lightning started to flash

Synonyms & Similar Words

• suddenly
• unaware
• unexpectedly
• aback
• all of a sudden
• abruptly
• off base
• unanticipatedly
• short
• surprisingly
• amazingly
• astoundingly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slowly
• sluggishly
• tardily
• leisurely
• obviously
• laggardly
• pokily

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unawares

While the Terrans struggle to suppress a rebel faction incensed by humanity's alliance with the alien Vasudans, they're caught unawares by the return of an existential threat to the peace-loving species of the galaxy. — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2025

The unfinished portrait drawing was a Regency fashion, as executed by professional society artists Thomas Lawrence and Richard Cosway, where the intention was to capture personality unawares, unstudied, as in life. — Literary Hub, 4 Aug. 2025

Short squeezes can happen when a troubled company bounces back, catching doubters unawares. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 22 July 2025

However, with no standardized dimensions across airlines, travelers have often been caught unawares with incorrectly sized bags when switching between carriers. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 July 2025