English Reference
Adjective

unplanned

adj.
B1 Intermediate US /ənˈpɫænd/ UK /ʌnplˈænd/ un·planned

adj.happening or done without being organized or intended in advance. You use this to describe things that occur by chance rather than by a schedule.

adj.not conceived or organized in advance; lacking a prior scheme or intention. Often used to describe events, expenses, or consequences that arise spontaneously.


SIMPLE

The unplanned meeting lasted for two hours.

CONTEXTUAL

An unplanned power outage forced the factory to stop production for the entire afternoon.

COMPLEX

While some critics viewed the city's growth as chaotic, others argued that its unplanned nature contributed to a unique and vibrant urban character.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun, but can also follow linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain'.


From un- + planned.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated