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 If your job search is beginning to look more like an unplanned retirement, run the numbers before deciding to stop looking for full-time work. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2026 Critics also worried that an unplanned surge in housing could strain schools, roads and other infrastructure. — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026 When an unplanned blast kills a boy from the village, the elders take advance compensation to keep the peace. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show and the unplanned city-wide power outage in 2025. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unplanned
  1. accidental
  2. impromptu
  3. unexpected
  4. improvised
  5. improvisational
Adjective
  • But AppleCare One doesn't cover service fees for accidental damage.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Police are investigating the incident as an accidental death.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • Those who couldn’t wait to give their new treats a taste formed impromptu picnics.
    — Laina Gustafson, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In an exclusive interview with People published Wednesday, Schumer recalled attending an impromptu wedding celebration after discovering a ceremony taking place on the beach near her family's accommodations.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of impromptu
Adjective
  • Prince Harry is opening up about his and wife Meghan Markle’s unexpected decision earlier this year to move back to the United Kingdom years after their dramatic fallout with the British royal family.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical getaway also included some unexpected entertainment.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Stiff was a record company that was founded on about 1,000 pounds and everything was done in an improvised fashion, including what order the songs came out from different artists.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The piece contends that the threat warrants advance legal planning rather than reliance on improvised responses after a disruption occurs.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvised
Adjective
  • The New Stanford Prison Experiment, Netflix’s take on a project that was always more convincing as improvisational theater than as scientific research, isn’t even television’s first crack at Zimbardo’s study.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • These findings suggest that the audience for conversations about the soul is not shrinking, but shifting away from organized religion and toward more personal, improvisational forms of seeking.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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