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unexpected
/ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/
not expected
The news of his resignation was completely unexpected.
The resignation was not anticipated at all.
neutral
not expected; surprising
Her sudden arrival was unexpected but welcome.
She arrived suddenly, which was a pleasant surprise.
An unexpected turn of events changed our plans.
A surprising development altered what we had planned.
Used to describe events, outcomes, or situations that were not anticipated or predicted.
Collocations
unexpected eventan event that was not predictedunexpected resulta result that was not anticipatedcompletely unexpectedtotally surprisingtotally unexpectedcompletely surprising
Pro Tip
Use with 'be' or 'seem'
The word 'unexpected' often follows the verb 'be' or 'seem' to describe a situation. Example: 'The outcome was unexpected.' or 'That seems unexpected.'
Gold Rule
Avoid redundancy
Do not use 'unexpected surprise' as it is redundant; 'surprise' already implies something unexpected.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'unexpected', from Old French 'in-' (not) + 'esperer' (to expect), ultimately from Latin 'ex-' (out) + 'spectare' (to look).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe situations or events that occur without warning. Often implies a lack of prior knowledge or preparation.
Word Breakdown
un-
not
prefixexpect
to regard as likely
root-ed
past participle suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary