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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Recent Examples of unforeseen
The biggest surprise of all would be an increase in the overall spending envelope, perhaps justified by the fact that the economic outlook has been altered by unforeseen events, chiefly U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
—
Ian King, CNBC, 11 June 2025
Weather or unforeseen conditions may modify the schedule.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2025
When a sizeable crowd was expected for the decisive group stage match against German champions FC Bayern, the club were embarrassingly forced to move the game to Borehamwood after an unforeseen stadium clash with the Arsenal men’s team.
—Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
As Iris goes to extreme lengths to navigate this unforeseen crisis, the film winds its way through the woes of the current dating era — communication breakdowns, commitment-phobia and all.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unforeseen
Ian King, CNBC, 11 June 2025
Weather or unforeseen conditions may modify the schedule.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2025
When a sizeable crowd was expected for the decisive group stage match against German champions FC Bayern, the club were embarrassingly forced to move the game to Borehamwood after an unforeseen stadium clash with the Arsenal men’s team.
—Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
As Iris goes to extreme lengths to navigate this unforeseen crisis, the film winds its way through the woes of the current dating era — communication breakdowns, commitment-phobia and all.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unforeseen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unforeseen
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
Adjective
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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
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Most recently, the sporty staple appeared (and reappeared) in Chanel’s resort 2026 collection in unexpected pairings that were anything but prim.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unforeseen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unforeseen. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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