unforeseen commitments

USAGE SUMMARY

"unforeseen commitments" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
The term is normally used to describe unexpected or unanticipated obligations you may have to perform. For example, "Due to unforeseen commitments, I had to postpone the trip until next week."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Barring unforeseen operational commitments and engagements, military divers hope to use this project as a training platform for several years and "recover the maximum number of tires possible from day one".

Wikipedia

A statement said she faced "unforeseen television filming commitments following the resolution of the Hollywood writers strike".

The New York Times - Arts

Due to an unforeseen last-minute television commitment, we have to cancel John Mulaney's performance on April 8 at MIT.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Or if an employee wanted to swap shifts with another employee because of a family commitment or unforeseen obligation, the employer would be punished for trying to facilitate such a request.

Huffington Post

If you keep your promises regardless of what unforeseen circumstances occur, you will be very intentional with your commitments, ensuring you follow through.

Forbes

Brussels is placing a high price on such a concession, including so-called "level playing field" commitments to ensure the British do not gain any unforeseen competitive advantages.

The Guardian

This legislation allows incremental protection to be created to prevent imports due to unforeseen events or due to the fulfilment of regional and international commitments.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

"The government wants to make it absolutely sure, before the public and especially before our creditors, that it is perceived as having done all it could, that the blame for failure is shifted to the court and that any further relaxing of budgetary targets is seen as being forced by unforeseen circumstances and not by the government's own lack of commitment".

The New York Times

Historically, power system operators have held excess capacity during the commitment and dispatch process to allow the system to handle unforeseen load ramping events.

Electric Power Systems Research

From where I'm sitting, Madonna made a commitment to Malawi, and appears to be struggling to keep it, against unforeseen and insurmountable odds.

The Guardian - Opinion

Every IMF programme has involved earnest commitments to improve public finances; all have, sooner or later, been breached amid handwringing about huge, unforeseen difficulties and political problems.In this section Mutually assured destruction?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unforeseen commitments", ensure the context clearly indicates the unexpected and obligatory nature of the commitment. Provide specific details when possible to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "unforeseen commitments" as a generic excuse without providing any specific details. Doing so can damage your credibility. Instead, offer a brief explanation of the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unforeseen commitments" functions as a noun phrase, where "unforeseen" modifies the noun "commitments". It describes obligations or responsibilities that were not anticipated or expected. Ludwig AI indicates that is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unforeseen commitments" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe unexpected obligations. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. However, the phrase's effectiveness depends on providing sufficient context to avoid vagueness. While versatile, consider more formal alternatives like "unanticipated obligations" in professional settings. Remember that clearly communicating the unexpected nature of the commitment enhances understanding and maintains credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unexpected obligations

Replaces "commitments" with a synonym and "unforeseen" with a synonym, maintaining a similar meaning.

unforeseen responsibilities

Replaces "commitments" with "responsibilities", which is similar in meaning.

unanticipated responsibilities

Replaces "commitments" with a different term for obligations, and "unforeseen" with a synonym.

sudden obligations

Emphasizes the abrupt nature of the commitments.

last-minute obligations

Highlights the timing of the commitments, suggesting they arose close to a deadline.

unpredicted duties

Substitutes both "unforeseen" and "commitments" with near synonyms.

unexpected duties

Replaces "unforeseen" with "unexpected" and "commitments" with "duties".

surprise engagements

Uses "engagements" to mean commitments, adding a layer of formality.

contingent duties

Emphasizes the conditional and unexpected nature of the duties.

unplanned responsibilities

Uses "unplanned" to replace "unforeseen" focusing on the lack of planning.

FAQs

How can I use "unforeseen commitments" in a sentence?

You can use "unforeseen commitments" to explain a sudden change in plans, such as: "Due to "unforeseen commitments", I have to reschedule our meeting."

What's a formal alternative to "unforeseen commitments"?

A more formal alternative is "unanticipated obligations", which carries a similar meaning but is better suited for professional settings.

Are "unforeseen commitments" and "unforeseen circumstances" interchangeable?

While related, "unforeseen circumstances" refers to the broader situation, while "unforeseen commitments" are the specific obligations arising from those circumstances.

How can I avoid sounding vague when citing "unforeseen commitments"?

Provide brief context. Instead of just saying "Due to "unforeseen commitments"", try "Due to "unforeseen commitments" related to a family emergency, I must leave early."