Use the adjective unexpected to describe something that takes you by surprise. An unexpected knock on your front door might make you jump. When you don't anticipate something, and have no clue that it's coming, you can call it unexpected.

If an event or someone's behaviour is unexpected, it surprises you because you did not think that it was likely to happen. His death was totally unexpected. He made a brief, unexpected appearance at the office. Help may also come from some unexpected places.

Find 75 different ways to say UNEXPECTED, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

When you don't anticipate something, and have no clue that it's coming, you can call it unexpected. A successful surprise party is always unexpected, and an unexpected visitor can be exciting or inconvenient, depending on who it is.

unexpected These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins. We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more… But unexpected circumstances can also provide interesting opportunities.

The meaning of UNEXPECTED is not expected : unforeseen. How to use unexpected in a sentence.

The ‘Unexpected’ season 7 cast has been revealed ahead of its February 2026 premiere, including a 13-year-old boy having a baby with his 15-year-old girlfriend