as in suddenly
without warning
the snow started unexpectedly
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Recent Examples of unexpectedly
However, following the uncrewed Artemis 1 lunar flight test in late 2022, it was found that ablative thermal protective material had unexpectedly chipped away from Orion's heat shield during its plunge through Earth's atmosphere.
—
Leonard David, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
For what would be his last and most ambitious venture outside of the Dead, Weir unexpectedly reached out to Was, with whom Weir had occasionally worked over the previous two-plus decades.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
After her grandmother shared a secret before her death — that her grandfather had another lover — Kana unexpectedly reconnects with an old love, Hiro.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
In hushed towns like Locorotondo and Martina Franca, whitewashed lanes curve unexpectedly, church bells peal away the hours, and olive trees cast ever longer shadows onto dusty squares.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
In Year 1 under new head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots went 14-3 during the regular season and unexpectedly made the Super Bowl after finishing 4-13 in consecutive seasons.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
Dana Eden, an Israeli producer who was working on Apple TV’s Tehran, has died unexpectedly during filming in Greece.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
Grandfamilies, when grandparents step in to raise their grandchildren, often happen unexpectedly without a roadmap.
—Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
When Carol unexpectedly dies before the trip, Katy is left without a mom, a best friend, and a tour guide.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Leonard David, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
For what would be his last and most ambitious venture outside of the Dead, Weir unexpectedly reached out to Was, with whom Weir had occasionally worked over the previous two-plus decades.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
After her grandmother shared a secret before her death — that her grandfather had another lover — Kana unexpectedly reconnects with an old love, Hiro.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
In hushed towns like Locorotondo and Martina Franca, whitewashed lanes curve unexpectedly, church bells peal away the hours, and olive trees cast ever longer shadows onto dusty squares.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
In Year 1 under new head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots went 14-3 during the regular season and unexpectedly made the Super Bowl after finishing 4-13 in consecutive seasons.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
Dana Eden, an Israeli producer who was working on Apple TV’s Tehran, has died unexpectedly during filming in Greece.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
Grandfamilies, when grandparents step in to raise their grandchildren, often happen unexpectedly without a roadmap.
—Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
When Carol unexpectedly dies before the trip, Katy is left without a mom, a best friend, and a tour guide.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexpectedly
suddenly
Adverb
-
Powell was in extension talks with the Clippers last summer before he was suddenly dealt to the Heat as part of a three-team trade that brought John Collins to Los Angeles.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
-
And then suddenly, a show like Adolescence, where the accents are just as strong, if not stronger, where the issue is as British, if not more British.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unexpectedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexpectedly. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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