Unexpectedly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Unexpectedly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs without warning or anticipation. Example: "The storm arrived unexpectedly, catching everyone off guard."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most unexpectedly, the outstanding Nitrous morphs from a lament to a laughing-gas seller into an unlikely folk deconstruction of Olive's 90s pop-dance hit You're Not Alone.

The Guardian - Music

This week's talks, both with Tasoulas and prime minister Antonis Samaras on Wednesday, were meant to have taken place in early September but were postponed when it was unexpectedly announced that Alamuddin and George Clooney, the world's most sought after bachelor, were to be married.

The Guardian - Arts

Unexpectedly, one morning found us ushered into Carrot Bay's Seventh Day Adventist Church service, having stopped, en route to the beach in shorts, to watch the islanders arrive in their finery.

The Guardian - Travel

The candidate regarded as the frontrunner to lead the Ulster Unionist party has unexpectedly pulled out of the contest.

The Guardian

Growth in the UK halved unexpectedly to 0.3% in the first three months of the year, while the US economy came to a virtual standstill, scraping growth of just 0.1%.

The Guardian - Business

Tracks such as Drops feature unexpectedly creaking doors and Smoking Pixels is a noir bagatelle, whistled in".

The Guardian - Music

The other 208 Fifa members did all tune in against their better judgment, however, and they were unexpectedly rewarded with a very fine game that might be described as a pretty good advert for German club football.

The Guardian - Sport

She also said consumers should be aware that new Ofcom rules "ensure consumers can leave contracts during their minimum-term contract if the price changes unexpectedly".

The Guardian

They also involved several deteriorating patients – including a child – who received "sub-optimal care" before they died; an unexplained "patient accident outside A&E where a wheelchair collided with a van causing patient injury"; several unexpected deaths; medication errors; two newborns dying unexpectedly; and a failure to properly safeguard a vulnerable child and an adult.

The Guardian

The quest to realise this tribute proved unexpectedly difficult.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The authoritative study also identifies four hospital trusts where an unexpectedly high number of patients died after developing complications following routine operations.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Unexpectedly", ensure the context clearly establishes what was initially expected, so the contrast is evident to the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "Unexpectedly" when the outcome is reasonably predictable. Overusing it can dilute its impact and make your writing seem less credible. Instead, reserve it for genuinely surprising situations.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "Unexpectedly" is as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action or event occurred in a way that was not foreseen or anticipated. Ludwig examples confirm its role in adding a layer of surprise to descriptions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Unexpectedly" is a versatile adverb used to denote surprise or a deviation from expectations. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and frequently employed in news and media. For effective writing, use "Unexpectedly" to highlight genuinely surprising events, and be mindful of its potential overuse. Alternatives such as "surprisingly" or "unpredictably" can offer nuanced emphasis depending on the specific context you intend to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Surprisingly

Emphasizes the element of surprise more directly.

Unpredictably

Focuses on the lack of ability to foresee the event.

Out of the blue

An idiomatic expression indicating a sudden and unpredicted event.

Without warning

Highlights the absence of any advance notice.

Unforeseen

Stresses that the event was not anticipated or planned for.

By surprise

Indicates that someone or something was caught off guard.

In an unforeseen manner

A more formal way of saying unexpectedly.

As a surprise

Highlights the surprise element of an event.

In a surprising turn of events

Suggests that there was a change in what was expected.

Unanticipatedly

A less common synonym emphasizing lack of anticipation.

FAQs

How can I use "Unexpectedly" in a sentence?

"Unexpectedly" is typically used to modify a verb, indicating that an action or event occurred in a way that was not anticipated. For example: "The storm arrived "unexpectedly", catching everyone off guard."

What can I say instead of "Unexpectedly"?

You can use alternatives like "surprisingly", "unpredictably", or "out of the blue" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "Unexpectedly" or "Unexpected"?

"Unexpectedly" is an adverb used to describe how something happened, while "unexpected" is an adjective used to describe a noun. For example: "The result was unexpected" versus "The team won unexpectedly".

What's the difference between "Unexpectedly" and "Suddenly"?

"Unexpectedly" implies that something was not anticipated, while "suddenly" emphasizes the quickness of the event. You might say "The lights went out "suddenly"" (focus on speed) or "The company closed "unexpectedly"" (focus on lack of warning).