unprecedented
What does "unprecedented" mean?
"Unprecedented" describes something that has never happened before or has no historical parallel. The mental image is of a path being cleared through uncharted territory, where there are no footprints or previous markers to show what to expect next. It is primarily used in formal or journalistic contexts to emphasize the scale, significance, or surprising nature of an event. It often collocates with nouns like "growth," "challenges," "success," or "crisis" to highlight that the current situation is far outside the norm of past experience.
"unprecedented" in conversation
Discussing a sudden weather event
Have you seen the storm reports? The rainfall levels are unprecedented.
Have you seen the storm reports? The rainfall levels are unprecedented.
I know, it’s like nothing the city has ever dealt with before.
I know, it’s like nothing the city has ever dealt with before.
Used to emphasize the extreme nature of an event.
Work meeting
Our Q3 sales growth is truly unprecedented for this department.
Our Q3 sales growth is truly unprecedented for this department.
We’ve certainly never seen numbers this high in our history.
We’ve certainly never seen numbers this high in our history.
Used to highlight an exceptional achievement.
"unprecedented" in a sentence
The athlete achieved an unprecedented victory.
The athlete achieved an unprecedented victory.
The company is facing an unprecedented level of competition this year.
The company is facing an unprecedented level of competition this year.
The scientists made an unprecedented discovery that changed our understanding of the universe.
The scientists made an unprecedented discovery that changed our understanding of the universe.
