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
But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 July 2025
But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 1 July 2025
The planet has an unexpected ally in Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) who might be able to get our heroes back into space.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 30 June 2025
Whether your brand is facing a lull in customers due to the off-season, cost increases or even an unexpected global health crisis, flexibility is critical to embrace.
—Carey Bringle, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unexpected
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 July 2025
But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 1 July 2025
The planet has an unexpected ally in Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) who might be able to get our heroes back into space.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 30 June 2025
Whether your brand is facing a lull in customers due to the off-season, cost increases or even an unexpected global health crisis, flexibility is critical to embrace.
—Carey Bringle, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unexpected
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexpected
sudden
Adjective
-
Her particular specialism is making sudden bursts towards the near post, staying in the defender’s blind spot before suddenly jumping ahead of her marker to turn home a simple chance, often laid on a plate at club level by Caroline Graham Hansen, with whom Pajor also worked well at Wolfsburg.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
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Given the sudden burst of interest, agentic AI risks becoming something that’s all too common in business: a topic that everyone is talking about, but that few people actually understand.—
Tomas Gorny,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unexpected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexpected. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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