completely unexpectedly

USAGE SUMMARY

"completely unexpectedly" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
This phrase is used to describe something that happens in a way that is totally unforeseen or surprising. It emphasizes the level of surprise or shock felt by the speaker. Example: "I was walking down the street when I ran into my old high school teacher, completely unexpectedly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

"In overdrive," he answered with a laugh, and added: "It's true, age catches you completely unexpectedly.

The New York Times - Books

His wife, Debi, said that Mr. King died of a heart attack, suddenly and completely unexpectedly.

The New York Times - Arts

Suddenly, completely unexpectedly, Corbyn's rise made it feel like it was happening.

The Guardian - Opinion

The investigation revealed the details of an encounter that, extremely rapidly and completely unexpectedly, escalated into violence.

The New York Times

"I have never lost a patient — like this — completely unexpectedly," the doctor said recently, his voice wavering as he recalled that day.

The New York Times

Completely unexpectedly, Mr. Masur, who had not even officially taken over as music director yet, transformed the sound of the orchestra as if overnight.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Completely and unexpectedly taken with the home's singularity, the Findlays made an offer the next day and closed two months later, on their fifth wedding anniversary.

The New York Times

Otherwise, Girardi, speaking publicly for the first time since last Thursday's final defeat, did not have much to offer on why his team seemed to crumble so completely and unexpectedly in the American League Championship Series.

The New York Times

The change, the moment: when an actor comes seemingly out of nowhere and dominates a movie so completely and unexpectedly that it launches him to a whole new career level.

Huffington Post

RNAi knockdown of F55E10.6 increased lifespan by 7% and unexpectedly completely prevented lifespan extension induced by βHB supplementation.

Aging

At times they try things that fail, or they forget their act completely, or they shine unexpectedly, to their own amazement.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "completely unexpectedly" to emphasize the surprise or lack of anticipation surrounding an event. It is particularly effective when contrasting the expected outcome with the actual result.

Common error

While "completely unexpectedly" is acceptable in many contexts, consider more formal alternatives like "entirely unexpectedly" or "in a completely unexpected manner" for academic or professional writing to maintain a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely unexpectedly" functions as an adverbial modifier, typically modifying a verb or clause to express the manner in which an action occurred. It emphasizes the surprising nature of the event.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

29%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "completely unexpectedly" is a common and grammatically sound way to express surprise at an event, as validated by Ludwig AI. It functions as an adverbial modifier, emphasizing the unforeseen nature of the action. While versatile, it's advisable to consider more formal alternatives for highly academic or professional contexts. The examples from Ludwig show its prevalent use in news, media and science, marking it as generally neutral in register. Related phrases, such as "entirely unexpectedly" or "utterly unexpectedly", offer subtle variations in emphasis, providing writers with choices to finely tune their message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entirely unexpectedly

Replaces "completely" with "entirely", offering a slightly more formal tone.

totally unexpectedly

Substitutes "completely" with "totally", providing a more informal and emphatic alternative.

utterly unexpectedly

Uses "utterly" instead of "completely", suggesting a sense of complete surprise.

absolutely unexpectedly

Uses "absolutely" instead of "completely" to intensify the unexpectedness.

altogether unexpectedly

Replaces "completely" with "altogether", emphasizing the overall surprise.

quite unexpectedly

Replaces "completely" with "quite", softening the degree of surprise slightly.

in a completely unexpected manner

Rephrases the adverb as a prepositional phrase, adding length and formality.

in a totally unforeseen way

Replaces both words with synonyms, shifting from adverbial to adjectival emphasis.

out of the blue

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey suddenness and surprise.

like a bolt from the blue

Employs a stronger idiom to emphasize the sudden and shocking nature of the event.

FAQs

How can I use "completely unexpectedly" in a sentence?

You can use "completely unexpectedly" to describe an event that happened in a way that was not anticipated at all. For example: "The deal fell through "completely unexpectedly"."

What phrases are similar to "completely unexpectedly"?

Similar phrases include "entirely unexpectedly", "totally unexpectedly", or "utterly unexpectedly", all of which convey a sense of surprise and lack of anticipation.

Is "completely unexpectedly" formal or informal?

"Completely unexpectedly" is generally considered acceptable in both formal and informal contexts, though for highly formal writing, alternatives like "in a completely unexpected manner" might be preferred.

What's the difference between "unexpectedly" and "completely unexpectedly"?

Adding "completely" to "unexpectedly" emphasizes the degree of surprise. While "unexpectedly" simply means something wasn't anticipated, "completely unexpectedly" highlights that the event was entirely unforeseen.