unplanned

adjective

ˌən-ˈpland How to pronounce unplanned (audio)
Definition of unplannednext
1
as in accidental
happening by chance an unplanned change in our itinerary—we got lost!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation stumbled through a completely unplanned acceptance speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 unplanned When an unplanned blast kills a boy from the village, the elders take advance compensation to keep the peace. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 However, unusually prolonged service in any position increases the possibility that illness, cognitive decline or death will lead to an unplanned and probably rocky transition. — Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026 Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show and the unplanned city-wide power outage in 2025. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Those insights are particularly useful if your revenue fluctuates from month to month or if you’re hit with an unplanned expense. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unplanned
  1. accidental
  2. impromptu
  3. unexpected
  4. improvised
  5. improvisational
Adjective
  • The task for the printmakers, led by Erik Hougen, Jeremy Ruiz, and Tom Smith, was to reproduce the jottings, corrections, and accidental smears on Safdie’s notecard as faithfully as possible, and also to scale it up in size.
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Good news for Boeing, but could this accidental monopoly be a potential disaster waiting to happen?
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • Yet her inclusion feels totally impromptu, like she and Bryan just got called up for their turn at karaoke and didn’t have a chance to work out the harmonies.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Moroney, Bryan and 19-year-old singer-songwriter Ty Myers were teased as being part of the lineup in an impromptu drone show over Tower Bridge Wednesday night.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of impromptu
Adjective
  • The pom-pom sandals at Givenchy were wonderful, fun, unexpected and exactly what fashion lovers are looking for from a spring runway show.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Be especially cautious about unexpected texts or calls that arrive afterward.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Stiff was a record company that was founded on about 1,000 pounds and everything was done in an improvised fashion, including what order the songs came out from different artists.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The piece contends that the threat warrants advance legal planning rather than reliance on improvised responses after a disruption occurs.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvised
Adjective
  • These findings suggest that the audience for conversations about the soul is not shrinking, but shifting away from organized religion and toward more personal, improvisational forms of seeking.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Western North Carolina, MGU rolled through an hour-long set of new material from Appalachian Smoke and intricate improvisational jams.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of improvisational

Browse Nearby Words

unperturbed
unplanned
unplausible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unplanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unplanned. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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