unprecedented

adjective

ˌən-ˈpre-sə-ˌden-təd How to pronounce unprecedented (audio)
Definition of unprecedentednext
as in novel
not known or experienced before this is an unprecedented request for the reference desk

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 unprecedented The fuel crisis — unprecedented for a nation that is one of the world’s biggest energy producers — has brought Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine home to ordinary Russians like few other events in the war. — Dasha Litvinova, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 The fuel crisis — unprecedented for a nation that is one of the world's biggest energy producers — has brought Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine home to ordinary Russians like few other events in the war, now in its fifth year. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 Success was neither swift nor guaranteed; the LHC faced serious resistance at CERN, with some member states reluctant to commit to a particle physics project of unprecedented scale and cost. — Florencia Canelli, Scientific American, 1 July 2026 The Qatari plane's transfer to the United States marked an unprecedented $400 million donation from a foreign country, with the aircraft later requiring extensive additional work to meet security and technical standards to become Air Force One. — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unprecedented
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unprecedented
  1. novel
  2. new
  3. strange
  4. unfamiliar
  5. fresh
  6. unheard-of
  7. original
Adjective
  • And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Fast, generalized defenses reduce exposure early, while slower, specialized mechanisms deliver precision when the threat is novel, persistent or evasive.
    — Abhik Biswas, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of novel
Adjective
  • Buckhead Heritage, a historic preservation organization, will make a historic building its new headquarters after reaching an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
  • The airlines haven’t yet announced what their new, combined frequent flyer program will look like, however.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of new
Adjective
  • Others may miss the warmth of a person who can read the room, handle a strange request or help when something goes wrong.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Canada coach Jesse Marsch gives strange interview after Morocco World Cup loss.
    — Alex Connor, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Staff weathering the storm The Cubs are more than halfway through the season and playing around a 90-win pace, yet their clubhouse often looks like a scene out of spring training, with new names, unfamiliar faces, and players coming and going.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • Fredericson urges new ruckers to warm up before each session, hydrate well and tell someone the route when heading into unfamiliar areas.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Definition of unfamiliar
Adjective
  • The sauce painted over the surface is thick like puree, with a vibrant, all encompassing, fresh tomato flavor.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The Biscoff cookie crust and fresh melon filling in this pie require absolutely no baking or cooking.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
Definition of fresh
Adjective
  • This spring, at the end of our 58th season, 60 Minutes grew rapidly with an unheard-of 9% jump in viewers on CBS.
    — Joanna Ossinger,Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 3 June 2026
  • This effort ultimately translated to a virtually unheard-of customer acquisition cost of less than one-half of one cent per new user.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
Definition of unheard-of
Adjective
  • All that to say, a glass of rye whiskey, one of the oldest drinks in America and the original base of many of our earliest cocktails like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, is an easy way to honor the scrappy American spirit.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Here, the material can be charged earlier by light or another energy source, stored in the dark, and then used later to power a chemical reaction after the original energy input has been expended.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 July 2026
Definition of original

Browse Nearby Words

unpopularity
unprecedented
unpredictability
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Cite this Entry

“Unprecedented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unprecedented. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unprecedented

Nglish: Translation of unprecedented for Spanish Speakers

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