unforeseen event
Curveball life throws
An unforeseen event is something that happens without warning or anticipation—an occurrence no one expected or planned for.
The phrase appears frequently in legal and insurance contexts, where contracts may excuse performance due to unforeseen events: The delay was caused by unforeseen events beyond our control.
Distinguished from foreseeable risks, which parties are expected to account for.
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- out of nowhereWithout apparent origin
- accidentUnintended harmful event
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
rude awakening · twist · plot twist · curveball · bombshell · bolt from the blue · crisis · emergency · act of God · setback · disruption · game changer · fluke · mishap · catastrophe · black swan · windfall · bolt
- contingenciescontingency, backup plan, plan B, fallback, safety net
unforeseen eventforegone conclusion
Result assumed beforehand
certainty · known quantity · sure thing · inevitability · calculated risk
unforeseen eventstandard procedure
annual event · daily routine · established practice · tradition · ritual
unforeseen, foreseen, foresee, foreseeable, unforeseeable, foresaw, seeing, seen, event