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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unplanned
My whirlwind trip has led to stops (both planned and unplanned) at wineries with near-century-old vines; wineries perched at the edge of Lake Erie; wineries owned by Eastern Europeans with a penchant for polka.
—
Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the show, as in the book, Margo is moved by Shyanne’s retelling of her birth story and subsequently unplanned foray into single motherhood.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Apollo 13's unplanned lunar loop sent it 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) from Earth, farther than any humans had ever gone before.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026
More than 30 years later, the pair watched the movie together unplanned in 2020.
—Alicia Brunker, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the show, as in the book, Margo is moved by Shyanne’s retelling of her birth story and subsequently unplanned foray into single motherhood.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Apollo 13's unplanned lunar loop sent it 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) from Earth, farther than any humans had ever gone before.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026
More than 30 years later, the pair watched the movie together unplanned in 2020.
—Alicia Brunker, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unplanned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unplanned
Adjective
-
An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
An infant’s accidental exposure to an infected child can mean serious illness, brain swelling and sometimes death.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Expect impromptu plans with friends or family and little side quests that end up being the highlight of your week.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Other quirky clips included her impromptu bouquet toss and high heels nearly breaking.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To use words in ways that are unexpected or surprising, to repurpose some of the legalese that has been weaponized against my characters.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Objects that once seemed temporary now reveal unexpected permanence.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
German described the improvised but careful transport down from the nest.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Vargas and his ensemble of both professional and first-time actors used a semi-improvised approach to shoot the film.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This is in part attributable to his fully improvisational approach to song construction, writing nothing down.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
And the six actors in this farcical rom-com are united in their performance style and improvisational tone.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unplanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unplanned. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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