adv · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˌʌnəˈwɛə(ɹ)z/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ)z
CMU ARPABET:AH2 N AH0 W EH1 R Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Unexpectedly or by surprise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
Your question catches/takes me unawares, I don't know the answer right now...
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Inadvertently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
I'm afraid I've taken the wrong coat, unawares.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
Without plan or forethought.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
at a disadvantage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I was caught short
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: short
Antonyms: none provided
5
adverb
Meaning 5
suddenly and unexpectedly- A.Lincoln
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
rain caught them unawares
sorrow comes to all, and to the young it comes with bittered agony because it takes them unawares
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adverb
Meaning 6
without forethought or plan; inadvertently
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
came upon the diamond unawares
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From unaware + -s (adverbial suffix). Attested earlier than unaware.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
неочаквано
(neočakvano)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Bulgarian:
ненадейно
(nenadejno)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Chinese Mandarin:
出其不意
(chūqíbùyì)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Chinese Mandarin:
措手不及
(cuòshǒubùjí)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Danish:
uforvarende
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Danish:
på sengen
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Finnish:
yllättäen
— unexpectedly or by surprise
French:
au dépourvu
— unexpectedly or by surprise
French:
à l'improviste
— unexpectedly or by surprise
German:
unversehens
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Irish:
gan fhios
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Norwegian Bokmål:
uforvarende
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Norwegian Bokmål:
på sengen
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Polish:
znienacka
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Polish:
niespodziewanie
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Russian:
враспло́х
(vrasplóx)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Sanskrit:
अम्नस्
(amnas)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Scottish Gaelic:
gun fhiosta
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Ukrainian:
знена́цька
(znenácʹka)
— unexpectedly or by surprise
Bulgarian:
неумишлено
(neumišleno)
— without plan or forethought
Chinese Mandarin:
未經準備 /未经准备
(wèijīng zhǔnbèi)
— without plan or forethought
Chinese Mandarin:
毫無準備 /毫无准备
(háowú zhǔnbèi)
— without plan or forethought
Danish:
uplanlagt
— without plan or forethought
Finnish:
miettimättä
— without plan or forethought
French:
à l'improviste
— without plan or forethought
Polish:
bezwiednie
— without plan or forethought
Polish:
nieświadomie
— without plan or forethought
