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  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. unexpectedly

unexpectedly

/ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪdli/

What does "unexpectedly" mean in English?

in a surprising or unanticipated way

The team won the championship unexpectedly.

They did not anticipate winning, making the victory surprising.


How to use "unexpectedly" correctly: definitions and examples in English?

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.