unready

Unready is an adjective describing a state of not being ready or not prepared for a given task, situation, or use. It can refer to people who are not prepared to take action, objects that are not yet usable, or conditions that are insufficient for a planned activity. The term conveys a lack of readiness rather than simply a temporary delay.

Etymology and form: Unready is formed by adding the negative prefix un- to the adjective ready. The base word ready has Old English and Germanic roots related to being prepared or set for action. The combined form has persisted in English to express negation of readiness, though in many modern contexts speakers prefer not ready or unprepared as more common alternatives.

Usage: In contemporary prose, unready is comparatively rare and often sounds formal or archaic. Not ready is usually preferred in everyday speech, while unprepared is a close synonym that can carry a stronger sense of lacking preparation rather than merely lacking immediate readiness. Unready is more likely to appear in literary, historical, or ceremonial contexts, or in set phrases such as “unready to proceed” or “unready for departure.”

Related terms: readiness (the state of being ready), unprepared (not prepared), unavailability (not available). The term unready should not be confused with unready money or supplies in specialized jargon, where more precise language is typically used.

See also: ready, unprepared, readiness. Examples: The crew was unready to depart until the weather cleared. The speaker paused, signaling that the audience was not yet unready for the announcement.