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unexpectedly

/ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪdli/
adverb★Intermediate💡 in a surprising or unanticipated way
general

in a manner that is surprising or not anticipated

She arrived unexpectedly and caught everyone off guard.

Her arrival was a surprise, and no one was prepared for it.

The results came in unexpectedly fast.

The results were delivered much sooner than expected.

💡

Often used to describe events or actions that happen without prior warning or anticipation.

Collocations

unexpectedly wellbetter than anticipatedunexpectedly earlyearlier than expectedunexpectedly latelater than expected

Synonyms

surprisinglyunanticipatedlyunforeseenly

Antonyms

predictablyas expectedforeseeably

💡Pro Tip

Usage Tip

Use 'unexpectedly' to emphasize that something happened contrary to expectations.

📖Word Origin

From 'un-' (not) + 'expected' (anticipated) + '-ly' (adverb suffix).

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe surprising occurrences or outcomes.

Word Breakdown

un-
not
prefix
+
expected
anticipated
root
+
-ly
adverb suffix
suffix
English Dictionary

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Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.