At ready is a phrase that expresses a state of being prepared, alert, and ready to act at a moment's notice. Some antonyms for this phrase include unprepared, caught off guard, and oblivious. Unprepared implies a lack of readiness and forethought, while being caught off guard suggests that someone was taken by surprise and was not ready to respond. Oblivious means to be unaware or inattentive, which is the opposite of being alert and ready. Other antonyms for at ready include relaxed, lethargic, and careless, all of which signify a lack of readiness, attentiveness, and alertness.