adv
unawares
uh-nuh-WEH-uhz
adv
1
By surprise; without warning.
"The sudden downpour caught the hikers unawares."
2
Without meaning to; accidentally.
"He let the secret slip unawares during the conversation."
How to Use Unawares
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCaught off guard, or done without intending to.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
catch someone unawares
taken unawares
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “unawares”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sudden downpour caught the hikers _____.
Etymology
From unaware + the adverbial -s ending, and actually recorded in English before "unaware" itself.