How to Use the unexpected in a Sentence

the unexpected

noun
  • The spa The spa was the unexpected star of my stay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Get ready to flirt with the unexpected!
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Pink For a touch of the unexpected, try pink in the kitchen.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Grab a pair to hop on the unexpected trend this season.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The first is the unexpected text.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • And then there is the promise of the unexpected.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • The answer seems to lie in the unexpected.
    — Mark Holgate, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Scroll on below to see just how the unexpected took over Austin!
    — James Dinh, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024
  • So save the unexpected burst of bright pink for the powder bath instead!
    — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
  • There would be shifts in the cultural scenery, for sure, but no tales of the unexpected.
    — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023
  • And who might be this year’s Lynx — the unexpected long shot that rises to the top?
    — Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • As to how the couple plans to use the unexpected windfall?
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Consider this your cheat sheet–full of both tried-and-true and the unexpected.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 2 Jan. 2026
  • Bonus points for the unexpected color options, like rose pink and mint green, which are giftable.
    — Molly Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2022
  • For those who seek the unexpected, Brasília is a must-visit.
    — Greyson Ferguson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Don’t be afraid to set bold new goals, but be prepared for sudden changes as eclipses can bring the unexpected.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024
  • Prepare yourself for the unexpected and go with the flow.
    — Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Let’s keep saying yes to the unexpected.
    — Shelley Zalis, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • There’s also some room for the unexpected.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
  • In an era of the unexpected, being proactive is not just a best practice.
    — Edward Segal, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Yet on this day, the unexpected happened.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Next came the unexpected struggle to shove it into the backseat of his car.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
  • Adding in this new bottom-up search for the unexpected marks a new paradigm.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026
  • But expect the unexpected because this time, there’s a twist!
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Still, the rock icon has embraced the unexpected legacy the song has taken on over the decades.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
  • Shoring up some extra savings is a smart way to expect the unexpected.
    — CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
  • But aside from the unexpected setting, there was little of note about their exchange.
    — Linda Kinstler, The Atlantic, 26 June 2024
  • Barring the unexpected, observers don’t predict much change to come out of this vote.
    — Peter Kenyon, NPR, 27 June 2024
  • Read on for some of the best places to go for Christmas abroad this year, from the tried-and-true to the unexpected.
    — Christina Pérez, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024
  • In fact, the unexpected encounter has already led to a follow-up.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the unexpected.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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