unprecedented

adjective

ˌən-ˈpre-sə-ˌden-təd How to pronounce unprecedented (audio)
Definition of unprecedentednext
as in novel
not known or experienced before this is an unprecedented request for the reference desk

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unprecedented This is so exciting for us because the transformative work being done to prepare our venues for the 2027 Festival is unprecedented. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 29 July 2026 Russia, already shock-therapied into unprecedented national calamity, was beginning to recoil from fervent Americanophilia into vengeful ultra-nationalism. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Juventus’ unprecedented nine-year run of winning Serie A ended under Pirlo. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Win for America launched late last year, according to Public Citizen, and such spending levels are unprecedented for the industry. — Dawn Kopecki, USA Today, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unprecedented
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unprecedented
  1. novel
  2. new
  3. strange
  4. unfamiliar
  5. fresh
  6. unheard-of
  7. original
Adjective
  • This isn’t necessarily a dig; all novel research likely requires some version of this mindset just to get off the ground.
    — John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • The novel intensity of New York eventually began to fade, and MacLeod lived alone in Manhattan, barely leaving his apartment.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
Definition of novel
Adjective
  • Lawmakers also have to decide who investigates complaints, resolves disputes and pays for any new oversight system.
    — Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
  • Data center facilities can be built or expanded at double or triple the pace of new electricity generations systems needed to serve them, PJM Interconnection, America’s largest grid operator, noted recently.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Definition of new
Adjective
  • The catfish in that Vermont lake has joined a very strange club.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Of all the peculiar assignments a newspaper reporter can undertake, writing advance obituaries for local notables who are still very much alive is one of the strangest.
    — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Rather than introducing entirely unfamiliar concepts, companies can modernize products and experiences consumers already trust.
    — Louis Biscotti, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Espaillat, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, set out to introduce Charlotte diners to Latin Street food such as empanadas, arepas and pupusas — dishes that were largely unfamiliar here more than a decade ago.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
Definition of unfamiliar
Adjective
  • Regional allies have not reported fresh Iranian attacks during the pause in US airstrikes.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • For almost three months the source of the infection remained a mystery and Americans were warned that fresh fruits, vegetables and greens, which had been culprits in the past, were the most common sources.
    — Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026
Definition of fresh
Adjective
  • The previous time the New York Knicks won an NBA Final, in 1973, in-game sound was basically unheard-of in basketball—too distracting for players and fans.
    — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • The phenomenon reflects the recent evolution of the venture capital industry, the emergence of two extraordinary companies that have raised unheard-of sums of money, and the wide-open competition among them and others in AI.
    — Paresh Dave, Wired News, 5 June 2026
Definition of unheard-of
Adjective
  • The sole violation against the original pair was for not reporting the relationship.
    — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • At the original location, an older Mexican woman stopped to read the family's story on the wall and began to cry.
    — Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of original

Browse Nearby Words

unpopularity
unprecedented
unpredictability
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unprecedented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unprecedented. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unprecedented

Nglish: Translation of unprecedented for Spanish Speakers

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