adjective
Common
unprecedented
uhn-PREH-sih-dehn-tihd
Unprecedented (adjective) means Never having happened or been seen before. Example: “The storm caused unprecedented flooding across the region.”
adjective
1
Never having happened or been seen before.
"The storm caused unprecedented flooding across the region."
"The company reported unprecedented growth last quarter."
"Scientists described the discovery as unprecedented, since nobody had ever recorded anything like it."
How to use unprecedented
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo new or extreme that nothing like it has happened before.
Common pairings
unprecedented growth
unprecedented times
unprecedented scale
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like unprecedented.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The storm caused _____ flooding across the region.
Etymology
From un- + precedent + -ed.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
precedented
Related words
Rhymes for unprecedented
vented
dented
scented
talented
demented
invented
oriented
lamented
patented
cemented
fermented
contented
See all rhymes for 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.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include unprecedented:
