out of the blue

ADVERB

unpredicted

Synonyms

WEAK

not predicted surprising unanticipated unexpected unforeseen unplanned unprepared for

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

None of this came out of the blue.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Anybody making a financial pitch to you out of the blue likely has ulterior motives.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

The news came out of the blue, and the shock is one of my first memories.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

But within a few hours, out of the blue, the reporter took a phone call from someone introducing herself as Tanisa.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The question, coming out of the blue, takes my grandfather off guard.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides