unhoped
Adjective: - Not hoped for or expected; unforeseen. Describes something that occurs without having been anticipated or desired in advance. It often carries a positive connotation of a pleasant surprise.
The adjective "unhoped" is almost exclusively used in the literary or formal phrase "unhoped-for". It modifies a noun to indicate that the thing described was beyond one's hopes or expectations. - It typically precedes the noun it modifies (e.g., unhoped-for success). - It describes outcomes, events, or benefits.
- The team's victory was an unhoped-for triumph.
- Her recovery was an unhoped-for blessing for the family.
- They received an unhoped-for donation that saved the project.
- "unhoped-for": This is the standard and primary form. The hyphen connects "unhoped" and "for" to function as a single compound adjective before a noun.
- The ambassador's visit was an unhoped-for opportunity.
- When used predicatively (after a linking verb like "was"), it can sometimes appear without the hyphen, though "unhoped for" remains less common.
- Such kindness was unhoped for.
- Unhoped-for (adj): The standard compound form. (See main definition and usage).
- Unanticipated (adj): Not expected or predicted.
- Unexpected (adj): Not expected or regarded as likely to happen.
- Fortunate (adj): Favored by or involving good luck; lucky.
- Unexpected
- Unanticipated
- Unforeseen
- Undreamed-of
- Unlooked-for
The core meaning is "not hoped for," which inherently implies it was not expected. While it can describe any unforeseen event, it is most frequently used for positive, fortunate surprises, as one does not typically "hope" for negative outcomes. Its use has become rare in modern everyday English, largely supplanted by synonyms like "unexpected" or "unanticipated."
- so unexpected as to have not been imagined
- an unhoped-for piece of luck
- an unthought advantage
- an unthought-of place to find the key