Definition of unforeseennext
as in sudden
not expected there are almost always unforeseen consequences for any major endeavor unforeseen problems delayed the project beyond its deadline

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unforeseen Can this connection roll with an unforeseen professional development that’s unfolding? Usa Today, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Butler said that, barring any unforeseen issues, the agency will own the house within the next two months. Noah Daly august 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 Aug. 2026 And there is a reasonable likelihood that two of them will end up playing each other on Arthur Ashe either for history, or for the chance to make it, which will lead to unforeseen levels of patriotic tension. Ava Wallace, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 And barring something unforeseen, the Dolphins will give him the chance to replicate an exceptional 2025 season. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unforeseen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unforeseen
Adjective
  • If not for the sudden availability of long-distance ocean transport (not to mention constant engineering challenges and the escalating cost of the plan), D-Day may have required far more woollen socks.
    Mike McRae September 16, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Set on the eve of the Korean war, this ruminative story follows a midwestern family that’s fractured by a mother’s sudden disappearance.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The Katonah Museum of Art is an unexpected stop for rotating exhibitions of cross-disciplinary visual art, while Philip Johnson’s Glass House in nearby New Canaan is also worth a half-day excursion.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The scalloped trim along the front pockets is an unexpected detail that sets them apart from a standard pair of pants, while the relaxed silhouette is still easy to style with sweaters, tees, and button-downs.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unforeseen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unforeseen. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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