Meaning & use

unprepared

adjective·Everyday

Not ready or equipped to deal with something.

See it in a sentence

The sudden storm caught the hikers completely unprepared for freezing temperatures.

She walked into the exam unprepared, having forgotten it was scheduled that day.

A note on using this word

Often followed by for, as in unprepared for the consequences, specifying what the person failed to anticipate.

Words with a similar meaning

unreadyill-equipped

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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