accidental

¹ac·ci·den·tal

adj \ˌak-sə-ˈden-t^əl\

Definition of ACCIDENTAL

1

: arising from extrinsic causes : incidental, nonessential

2

a : occurring unexpectedly or by chance b : happening without intent or through carelessness and often with unfortunate results

— ac·ci·den·tal·ly \-ˈdent-lē, -ˈden-t^əl-ē\ also ac·ci·dent·ly \-ˈdent-lē\ adverb

— ac·ci·den·tal·ness \-ˈden-t^əl-nəs\ noun

Examples of ACCIDENTAL

1. an accidental discovery of oil
2. The timing of the announcement was purely accidental.
3. The death was ruled accidental.

First Known Use of ACCIDENTAL

14th century

Related to ACCIDENTAL

Synonyms: casual, chance, fluky (also flukey), fortuitous, inadvertent, incidental, unintended, unintentional, unplanned, unpremeditated, unwitting

Antonyms: calculated, deliberate, intended, intentional, planned, premeditated, premeditative, prepense, set

Related Words: coincidental; freak, odd; aimless, arbitrary, desultory, haphazard, random; uncertain, unexpected, unforeseeable, unforeseen; coerced, forced, involuntary; unconscious, unprompted

Near Antonyms: certain, destined, expected, fixed, foreordained, foreseeable, foreseen, inevitable, predestined, predetermined, predictable, preordained, prescribed, sure; conscious, freewill, knowing, unforced, voluntary, volunteer, willful (or wilful)

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Synonym Discussion of ACCIDENTAL

accidental, fortuitous, casual, contingent mean not amenable to planning or prediction. accidental stresses chance <any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental>. fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause <a series of fortuitous events>. casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent <a casual encounter with a stranger>. contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence <the contingent effects of the proposed law>.

Rhymes with ACCIDENTAL

adjustmental, apartmental, biparental, compartmental, complemental, condimental, continental, departmental, detrimental, documental, excremental, elemental, firmamental, fundamental, governmental, grandparental, incidental, incremental, instrumental, managemental, monumental, nonjudgmental, occidental, oriental, ornamental, regimental, rudimental, sacramental, sentimental, supplemental, temperamental, transcendental