unexpected acquisition

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unexpected acquisition" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an acquisition that was not anticipated, often in a business or financial context. Example: "The company's unexpected acquisition of a rival firm took the industry by surprise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The company said it had resolved the problems with some of the suppliers and was talking to the rest.Victor Muller, a Dutch entrepreneur who pulled off the unexpected acquisition of Saab from General Motors, acknowledges that it is struggling, though he insists that it is closer to a turnaround than sceptics say.

The Economist

The company said it had resolved the problems with some of the suppliers and was talking to the rest.Victor Muller, a Dutch entrepreneur who pulled off the unexpected acquisition of Saab from General Motors, acknowledges that it is struggling, though he insists that it is closer to a turnaround than sceptics acknowledge.

The Economist

The two amplified fragments were connected using In-Fusion HD cloning kit (Takara-Bio, Shiga, Japan), to obtain pET32/FKBP/8 × DDAKK/FlucC, which resulted in unexpected acquisition of pET32/FKBP/7 × DDAKK/FlucC.

BMC Biotechnology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Unexpected acquisitions will become the norm as tech giants look to expand beyond their core businesses.

Forbes

Sato, T. et al. Unexpected mass acquisition of Dirac fermions at the quantum phase transition of a topological insulator.

Nature

We're delivering the unexpected". The acquisition of Rosewood was a fortuitous break.

Forbes

Our hypothesis was that an ICU with double rooms is not associated with unexpected high acquisition and cross-transmission of ESBL, providing that contact precautions are strictly applied.

Annals of Intensive Care

This information serves to regularize the clusters produced by the FCM algorithm thus boosting its performance under noisy and unexpected data acquisition conditions.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

The only other significant finding was an unexpected interaction between Image Acquisition and Ear of Delivery (F 2,16) = 4.35, p<0.04) which was due to larger ARMs following right-ear stimulation during continuous image acquisition and larger ARMs following left-ear stimulation during sparse image acquisition.

Plosone

Specific language impairment (SLI) is an unexpected deficit in the acquisition of language skills and affects between 5 and 8% of pre-school children.

European Journal of Human Genetics

Mr. Joyce, the chief financial officer, insisted this was not a sign that absorbing the acquisition had provided unexpected challenges.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unexpected acquisition", ensure the context clearly establishes what was expected or the reasons why the acquisition was surprising. This adds clarity and impact to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "unexpected acquisition" when the acquisition was merely less probable but still within the realm of possibility. Use stronger alternatives only when the acquisition genuinely defies expectations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unexpected acquisition" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "unexpected" modifies the noun "acquisition". It describes a specific type of acquisition characterized by its surprising or unforeseen nature, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unexpected acquisition" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe an acquisition that was surprising or unforeseen. Ludwig indicates that it is most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts, with a neutral to professional register. While not exceptionally frequent, it is a useful term for highlighting the unusual nature of a business transaction. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is valid and usable in English and suggests alternative options like "surprise takeover" or "unforeseen merger".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unexpected takeover

Merely substitutes the noun acquisition for takeover.

surprise takeover

Replaces "acquisition" with a more aggressive term, implying a hostile or forceful acquisition.

unanticipated buyout

Similar to takeover but implies the buying of a controlling interest.

unforeseen merger

Uses "merger" instead of "acquisition", suggesting a combining of companies rather than a purchase, and uses "unforeseen" for emphasis.

sudden acquisition

Emphasizes the speed and abruptness of the acquisition.

unscheduled purchase

Emphasizes the lack of planning or anticipation in the purchase.

surprise buy

A more informal and concise way to describe an acquisition that was unexpected.

bolt-on acquisition

Describes an acquisition that is added to an existing business, emphasizing its unexpected nature.

accidental acquisition

Suggests the acquisition was not planned or intentional.

chance acquisition

Highlights the element of luck or serendipity in the acquisition.

FAQs

How can I use "unexpected acquisition" in a sentence?

You might say, "The company's "unexpected acquisition" of its main competitor sent shockwaves through the industry" or "The "unexpected acquisition" of the startup proved to be a strategic masterstroke".

What's a good substitute for "unexpected acquisition"?

Depending on the context, consider using phrases like "surprise takeover", "unforeseen merger", or "sudden acquisition".

Is "unexpected acquisition" a formal phrase?

The phrase "unexpected acquisition" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's more commonly found in business, financial, and news-related writing.

What makes an acquisition "unexpected"?

An acquisition can be considered "unexpected" if it involves a surprising buyer, an unlikely target, or occurs under circumstances that defy conventional wisdom or industry expectations.