unannounced

unannounced — adjective

1. used when a person comes to a place without having told anyone beforehand that t

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used when a person comes to a place without having told anyone beforehand that they were coming

Example

Mateo showed up at my door unannounced late last night.

unannounced after show up for no-notice arrival

Élise's parents arrived unannounced for the weekend and she had to clean her house quickly.

Common collocations
  • show up unannounced
  • arrive unannounced
  • unannounced visit
Synonyms
  • unexpected

    broader in meaning; can apply to events, news, or objects, not just people arriving

  • uninvited

    stronger negative connotation of not being wanted, whereas unannounced is more neutral

  • surprise

    used before a noun (surprise visit) but not as an adverb after the verb

Antonyms
  • expected

    the opposite of arriving without notice

  • planned

    suggests arrangements were made in advance

Grammar Patterns

arrive/show up unannounced

Usage Note

Commonly used after verbs of movement or arrival (show up / arrive / turn up / appear) to describe the manner of the visit.

Common Mistakes

I arrived to his house unannounced.
I arrived at his house unannounced.
with arrive, use the preposition 'at' not 'to'.

2. used to describe information, plans, or events that are intentionally kept from

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe information, plans, or events that are intentionally kept from the public or from certain people before they happen

Example

The company made several unannounced changes to its pricing plans.

unannounced before noun for non-public change

Karim's unannounced departure from the team left his colleagues in shock.

Common collocations
  • unannounced change
  • unannounced departure
  • unannounced appearance
  • unannounced visit
Synonyms
  • undisclosed

    stronger secrecy; suggests the information is deliberately hidden, not just unannounced

  • unrevealed

    focuses on the fact that the information has not been shared at all

  • secret

    stronger connotation of intentional concealment over a period of time

Antonyms
  • announced

    the direct opposite; made public officially

  • publicised

    actively promoted or made widely known

Grammar Patterns

unannounced + noun

keep/stay unannounced

Usage Note

Typically placed before a noun (change / departure / resignation / appearance / visit) or after keep/stay/remain in a linking-verb structure.

Common Mistakes

The news is unannounced.
The news has not been announced yet.
unannounced is not commonly used for 'news'; it sounds unnatural. Use 'not yet announced' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that happens without advance notice, but they differ in scope and connotation. Unexpected is the broadest — a sudden rain shower, a plot twist, or an inheritance can all be unexpected. Uninvited carries a negative social judgment: it implies the person was not wanted, not merely not announced (compare 'an uninvited guest' vs. 'an unannounced guest'). Surprise is neutral and often positive when used before a noun ('a surprise party'), whereas unannounced is simply factual. Abrupt adds a sense of rudeness or harshness and is more common with events ('an abrupt ending') than with people arriving. For describing a visit that simply lacked prior notice — without judgment — unannounced is the most precise choice.

unexpected ↗uninvited ↗surprise ↗abrupt

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix un- (meaning 'not') to the past participle announced. The verb announce comes from Old French anoncier, which traces back to Latin annuntiare — a combination of ad- ('toward') and nuntiare ('to report or tell'). So unannounced literally means 'not reported or told in advance.'