1
as in accidental
happening by chance
an unplanned change in our itinerary—we got lost!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
stumbled through a completely unplanned acceptance speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unplanned
Thousands of San Francisco residents were without power for part of Saturday due to another unplanned outage, just a week after a massive power outage left a third of the city in the dark.
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Jose Fabian, CBS News, 27 Dec. 2025
During the match, between Neon’s longstanding character, the three-nosed alien Gorleenyah, and the ICE agent, performer Chiquitita took to the stage to speak unplanned after Ellery handed her the microphone.
—Elyssa Goodman, Them., 23 Dec. 2025
The closures also risk widespread shortages if any of the remaining six refineries in California experience unplanned outages caused by fires or other accidents.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Xcel officials said Friday a large number of the outages were tied to a public safety power shutoff, although the utility’s online outage map lists all of the power cuts as unplanned.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unplanned
Adjective
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Elvyn Yohel Ramos Routt County Investigators also said Ramos filed an insurance claim reporting the fire as accidental.—
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In another show, with a lesser writer, such incongruities could be read as character inconsistencies, accidental oversights, mistakes.—
Adjective
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This adds a layer of spontaneity to your dating life, increasing the potential for chemistry and impromptu love stories that catch you by surprise.—
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Stock up on this frozen item to serve at impromptu parties.—
Adjective
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The whimsical cover introduces readers to Saffy and Lumo, two best friends whose devotion to their favorite foods leads to an unexpected, and very literal, transformation.—
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While the ordeal was incredibly frustrating for Johnson, updates on his unusual guest have been an unexpected distraction and obsession for a community that has lost so much.—
Adjective
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Mochrie then performs an improvised comedy act with the semi-conscious volunteers.—
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This writing had an intimate, improvised feel and often took a looser approach to craft; much of it was written with performance in mind.—
Adjective
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Their fans, known as Deadheads, would tour along from city to city and revel in the constantly changing set lists, extended soloing and improvisational jamming that gave each show a unique flavor.—
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Their music — called acid rock at its inception — would pull in blues, jazz, country, folk and psychedelia in long improvisational jams at their concerts.—
Cite this Entry
“Unplanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unplanned. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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