unawares

adverb

un·​awares ˌən-ə-ˈwerz How to pronounce unawares (audio)
Synonyms of unawaresnext
1
: without design, attention, preparation, or premeditation
As to my pronunciation, it improved rapidly and unawares.—George Santayana
2
: without warning
—used to describe something that happens unexpectedly
The rain caught us unawares.[=we were not expecting rain]
She was taken unawares[=by surprise] by the change in plans.

Synonyms of unawares

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Examples of unawares in a Sentence

the thunderstorm caught us unawares, and we scrambled to get off the ridge as lightning started to flash
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The swiftness with which the market changed their stripes caught us unawares and big gains weren’t taken. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025 Frost that catches you unawares can be devastating—at least to certain plants. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025 Still, workers were caught unawares by the shutdown, Ball and Nava said. — Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2025 Short squeezes can happen when a troubled company bounces back, catching doubters unawares. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unawares

Word History

Etymology

un- + aware + -s, adverb suffix, from Middle English, from -s, genitive singular ending of nouns — more at -s

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unawares was in 1530

Phrases Containing unawares

Rhymes for unawares

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Browse Nearby Words

unawaredly
unawares
unawed
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Cite this Entry

“Unawares.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unawares. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unawares

adverb
un·​awares ˌən-ə-ˈwa(ə)rz How to pronounce unawares (audio)
-ˈwe(ə)rz
1
: without knowing : unintentionally
2
: without warning : by surprise
taken unawares

More from Merriam-Webster on unawares

Nglish: Translation of unawares for Spanish Speakers

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