unanticipated obstacle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unanticipated obstacle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an unexpected challenge or difficulty that arises during a process or situation. Example: "We encountered an unanticipated obstacle that delayed the project's completion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

An AUV with such a system can maneuver around unanticipated obstacles that may be proud of the ocean floor.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Under his stewardship, enrollment grew to almost 525 students through ninth grade — a process he said was difficult and rife with unanticipated obstacles.

The New York Times

Money and attention have not been as forthcoming for Afghanistan as Mr. Bush promised 18 months ago, and in Iraq an early plan for creating an Iraqi transitional authority has been shelved because of unanticipated obstacles.

The New York Times

It's good to have self-confidence, however, the real world can present unanticipated obstacles to success and it's important to be prepared for various outcomes.

Forbes

However, as experience has taught us so many times, the gap from a successful mouse experiment to effective, beneficial application of exciting laboratory concepts to helping cancer patients at the bedside is in fact a long and treacherous journey, filled with unforeseen and unanticipated obstacles.

Forbes

The unanticipated obstacles I had faced my last year in D.C. - the out-of-the-blue broken heart, amongst others - were life's way of revealing my real path.

Huffington Post

They need to be able to articulate a mobilizing vision and to ensure a degree of coherence in what can be a tumultuous process, subject to political shocks and unanticipated obstacles.

Unicef

The reported effectiveness of the program is all the more remarkable given the significant hurdles that needed to be overcome as well as the unanticipated obstacles that continue to be negotiated.

BMC Health Services Research

This requires maturity and openness to criticism, and responding with patience and perseverance to unanticipated situations and obstacles.

Duke University

What had seemed likely to be an incremental summit, bogged down by the seemingly endless dispute over the future of NATO, ended up offering the promise of unanticipated progress in a number of areasalthough many obstacles remain before all that promise is realized.

The Washington Post

To control for possible unanticipated effects of LNA oligonucleotides on the ratio of AUG1 AUG2 codon use, we used a different obstacle to mask AUG1 in a synthetic mRNA.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "unanticipated obstacle" with an explanation of how it was addressed or what impact it had. This provides context and closure for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "unanticipated obstacle" when a challenge was actually foreseeable or predictable. This weakens the impact of the phrase and may confuse readers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unanticipated obstacle" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in English. It describes an unexpected barrier or challenge that arises.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

13%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "unanticipated obstacle" effectively conveys the idea of an unexpected challenge or difficulty, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While grammatically correct and usable, its frequency is uncommon. It is primarily used in News & Media, Science and Academic contexts. When employing this phrase, it's crucial to ensure the context highlights that the obstacle was genuinely unforeseen. For alternatives, consider phrases like "unexpected hurdle" or "surprise setback", which offer slightly different nuances. Overall, "unanticipated obstacle" is a valuable term for precisely describing unexpected challenges in various settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unexpected hurdle

Replaces "obstacle" with "hurdle" to suggest a barrier that needs to be overcome unexpectedly.

unforeseen impediment

Substitutes both "unanticipated" and "obstacle" to highlight the unforeseen nature of the hindrance.

surprise setback

Emphasizes the unexpected and negative impact of the obstacle.

unpredicted difficulty

Focuses on the lack of prediction surrounding the challenging situation.

unforeseen complication

Highlights the complex and unexpected nature of the obstacle.

sudden snag

Suggests a small, abrupt problem that arises without warning.

unexpected challenge

Uses "challenge" as a more neutral alternative to "obstacle", while still conveying difficulty.

chance hindrance

Indicates that the obstacle arose by chance and is impeding progress.

uncalculated problem

Stresses the lack of planning or foresight in addressing the issue.

surprise impediment

Simply inverts the order for a slightly different emphasis while maintaining the core meaning.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "unanticipated obstacle" in a sentence?

Use "unanticipated obstacle" to describe a sudden and unforeseen challenge that disrupts a plan or process. For example, "The project faced an "unanticipated obstacle" when the key supplier went out of business."

What are some alternatives to "unanticipated obstacle"?

You can use alternatives such as "unexpected hurdle", "unforeseen impediment", or "surprise setback" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is "unanticipated obstacle" formal or informal?

"Unanticipated obstacle" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's often found in professional, academic, and journalistic writing due to its precise and descriptive nature. Consider the tone of your writing as a whole when using the phrase. You can replace with "unexpected problem" for informal situations.

What makes an obstacle "unanticipated"?

An obstacle is considered "unanticipated" if it was not reasonably foreseeable or expected based on the available information and planning. It implies a degree of surprise and a need for immediate adaptation.