unplanned

adjective

ˌən-ˈpland How to pronounce unplanned (audio)
Definition of unplannednext
1
as in accidental
happening by chance an unplanned change in our itinerary—we got lost!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation stumbled through a completely unplanned acceptance speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unplanned All the while, there is no unplanned downtime. — Eric Herzog, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The failure was blamed on the collapse of the H3’s payload support structure, damaging the rocket’s second stage and leading to the unplanned separation of the satellite from the launch vehicle. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026 Wunnava explained that she was not told about the unplanned trip. — Cheryl Fiandaca, CBS News, 12 June 2026 My first unplanned stop came at Old House Dahlias, a flower farm in Tillamook where more than 200 new and heirloom varietals are grown. — David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unplanned
  1. accidental
  2. impromptu
  3. unexpected
  4. improvised
  5. improvisational
Adjective
  • Fire officials deemed the fire accidental after determining that the family dog, Bo, jumped onto the kitchen counter and turned on the toaster, which ignited nearby combustibles.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Its lightweight, compliant structure makes accidental contact with people, pets and furniture far safer than conventional drones.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • LeBron James, the cover star for the Time100 Sports issue, later closed out the dinner portion of the evening with an impromptu speech.
    — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
  • The neighbor returned minutes later with beers to share with the group, sparking a celebration that quickly turned into a genuine impromptu party.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
Definition of impromptu
Adjective
  • But somewhere between talking about recipes and the future of food, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
  • Aside from simply driving through Yellowstone, taking in the sights on foot resulted in 15 deaths through accidental falls, exposure, unexpected medical issues, and run-ins with animals like bison or bears.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Outside hospitals, temporary shelters and improvised morgues, relatives continue posting photographs and names of missing family members on social media, hoping someone might recognize them or provide information about their fate.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • An improvised rescue operation is searching for survivors after Venezuela’s historic earthquakes.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
Definition of improvised
Adjective
  • To survive and scale, cannabis businesses must urgently replace improvisational workarounds with standardized systems and real-time monitoring.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Over time, the practice evolved into an art form—bold, improvisational, and strikingly abstract.
    — jeanne malle, Air Mail, 4 July 2026
Definition of improvisational

Browse Nearby Words

unperturbed
unplanned
unplausible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unplanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unplanned. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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