unprecedented
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for unprecedented, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Never having happened or been seen before.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use unprecedented
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From un- + precedent + -ed.
Full origin of unprecedented →Frequently asked questions
What does “unprecedented” mean?
The word “unprecedented” means never having happened or been seen before. In plain terms, so new or extreme that nothing like it has happened before.
How do you pronounce “unprecedented”?
“Unprecedented” is pronounced uhn-PREH-sih-dehn-tihd (/ʌnˈpɹɛsɪdɛntɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “unprecedented” in a sentence?
Here is “unprecedented” used in a sentence: “The storm caused unprecedented flooding across the region.”
What part of speech is “unprecedented”?
“Unprecedented” is an adjective.
Is “unprecedented” a common word?
“Unprecedented” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between unprecedented and rare?
Unprecedented means something has never happened or been seen before at all, making it entirely without prior example. Rare means something happens infrequently but has occurred before. An unprecedented event is by definition rarer than a rare one, since it has no known predecessor.
What is the difference between unprecedented and unique?
Unprecedented focuses on something never having happened before in history or record, often used for events, decisions, or crises. Unique focuses on something being one of a kind at present, without necessarily comparing it to the past. A situation can be unique without being historically unprecedented.
In what contexts is unprecedented commonly used?
Unprecedented is frequently used to describe extreme events, records, or situations, such as unprecedented growth, unprecedented demand, or an unprecedented crisis. It signals that the scale or nature of the event has no known earlier equivalent.