unforeseen duties

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unforeseen duties" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to responsibilities or tasks that were not anticipated or planned for. Example: "Due to unforeseen duties that arose during the project, we had to adjust our timeline."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

But there is simply no way of knowing before hand how many entities will benefit because the cost reduction associated with the waived duties is likely to spur unforeseen demand -- new industrial uses for the input, new firms attracted to the industry, lower prices delivered down the supply chain to more and more end-users, etc.

Forbes

At NIST's Boulder nanofabrication facility, four people out of about 100 will stay on duty to make sure temperature changes or other unforeseen events don't damage millions of dollars in equipment in the facility, which serves a variety of academic and industry users.

Science Magazine

The Police Department will have its entire force, 124 officers, on duty to help with traffic, crowd control and any unforeseen incidents.

The New York Times

Providing there are no unforeseen problems, Hodgson will complete the Premier League season with West Brom before taking up his duties ahead of two Euro 2012 warm-up matches against Norway on May 26 and Belgium on June 2.

Independent

These policy developments also bear with them some other (unforeseen) consequences: First, emphasizing the rights of the child often indicates an emphasis on the duty of parents to ensure the health, well-being and development of their children, and to ensure that children's rights are being served (Bennet 1996).

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy

With no lifeguards on duty and a useable lifeboat more than an hour away, a bodybuilder from LA becomes an unforeseen hero.

BBC

Unforeseen events were everywhere.

The New York Times

Unforeseen events occur.

The New Yorker

"That's unforeseen.

The New York Times - Sports

An unforeseen crisis?

The Guardian

But others were unforeseen.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unforeseen duties", ensure the context clearly establishes that these duties were genuinely unanticipated and not simply neglected during initial planning.

Common error

Avoid using "unforeseen duties" as a blanket excuse for delays or missed deadlines. Always provide specific examples of what the duties were and why they could not have been anticipated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unforeseen duties" functions as a noun phrase, where "unforeseen" acts as an adjective modifying "duties". It typically identifies unexpected or unanticipated responsibilities. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "unforeseen duties" refers to unexpected or unanticipated responsibilities. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. While not exceptionally common, it is a suitable way to describe tasks that were not planned. Alternatives include "unexpected responsibilities" and "unanticipated tasks". When using this phrase, it is important to ensure that the duties were genuinely unforeseen and to avoid using it as a generic excuse without providing specific details. The phrase has a neutral register and is appropriate for professional and general communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unforeseen responsibilities

Simply substitutes "duties" with "responsibilities".

unexpected responsibilities

Replaces "unforeseen" with "unexpected" and "duties" with "responsibilities", maintaining the core meaning.

unanticipated tasks

Substitutes "unforeseen" with "unanticipated" and "duties" with "tasks", offering a slight variation in vocabulary.

unpredicted obligations

Uses "unpredicted" instead of "unforeseen" and "obligations" for "duties", focusing on the mandatory aspect.

unplanned tasks

Highlights the lack of planning for these tasks.

unpredicted assignments

Uses "unpredicted" instead of "unforeseen" and "assignments" instead of "duties"

surprise duties

Replaces "unforeseen" with "surprise", emphasizing the unexpected nature of the duties.

contingent responsibilities

Emphasizes that the responsibilities are dependent on unforeseen circumstances.

newly required tasks

Focuses on the recent need for these tasks, due to unexpected events.

emergency assignments

Suggests that these duties arose due to an emergency situation.

FAQs

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

"Unforeseen duties" can be used to describe unexpected responsibilities that arise. For example, "Due to unforeseen duties, the project timeline was extended."

What are some alternatives to "unforeseen duties"?

You can use alternatives like "unexpected responsibilities", "unanticipated tasks", or "unpredicted obligations" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "unforeseen duties"?

It is appropriate when describing tasks or responsibilities that genuinely could not have been predicted or planned for in advance.

What is the difference between "unforeseen duties" and "additional responsibilities"?

"Unforeseen duties" implies that the responsibilities were unexpected, while "additional responsibilities" simply indicates that more tasks have been added, regardless of whether they were anticipated or not.