unawares

adverb

ˌən-ə-ˈwerz How to pronounce unawares (audio)
Definition of unawaresnext
as in suddenly
without warning the thunderstorm caught us unawares, and we scrambled to get off the ridge as lightning started to flash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unawares While the Terrans struggle to suppress a rebel faction incensed by humanity's alliance with the alien Vasudans, they're caught unawares by the return of an existential threat to the peace-loving species of the galaxy. — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2025 The unfinished portrait drawing was a Regency fashion, as executed by professional society artists Thomas Lawrence and Richard Cosway, where the intention was to capture personality unawares, unstudied, as in life. — Literary Hub, 4 Aug. 2025 Short squeezes can happen when a troubled company bounces back, catching doubters unawares. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 22 July 2025 However, with no standardized dimensions across airlines, travelers have often been caught unawares with incorrectly sized bags when switching between carriers. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unawares
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unawares
  1. suddenly
  2. unexpectedly
Adverb
  • Projects that communities had originally welcomed were suddenly met with fierce opposition, and companies had to improve.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • A lot of Asian American people have this experience of reading in lit courses about predominantly white authors and characters and suddenly there’s Lee, who is remarkably legible as someone inside of his social milieu yet almost a unicorn.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of suddenly
Adverb
  • February 19 – March 20 Something at home or in your private life could shift unexpectedly today.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Pisces February 19 – March 20 Something at home or in your private life could shift unexpectedly today.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpectedly

Browse Nearby Words

unawareness
unawares
unbalance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unawares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unawares. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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