unforeseen.

Not predicted or recognized in advance.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• unforeseen consequence
• unforeseen obstacle

On the page

An unforeseen obstacle delayed the expedition after the principal preparations were complete.

The agreement allowed time for unforeseen consequences without pretending to identify them all.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Ordinarily non-gradable in the stated categorical sense; compare degree only where the context genuinely permits it. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, interpretation, contrast, characterization. Disciplines: prose writing, literary analysis, advanced general English. Commonness: moderately common.