accidently

adverb

ac·​ci·​dent·​ly ˌak-sə-ˈdent-lē 

ˈak-sə-dənt-,

ˈak-sə-ˌdent-

: accidentally

Law enforcement officials said that an unattended candle accidently lit her living room couch on fire.

—Paul Chi

He was turning out of the gateway when he accidently stumbled against a tall man wrapped in a cloak, who was at that moment coming out of the inn door.

—Charles Dickens

Usage of Accidently

The adverb accidently has been in use since the 18th century. It continues to appear regularly in published writing, but it is far less common than accidentally, and it is sometimes cited as an error.

Examples of accidently in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last May, Weston and Kirkland accidently reeled in a 200-pound alligator snapping turtle while trying to catch a massive fish. —Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025

While running late to a mandatory executive meeting, John (a senior manager) accidently bumped into Jane (his counterpart who was walking to the same meeting). —Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

The Trump administration’s national security team accidently shares plans for military strikes in Yemen in a group text chat with a journalist. —Nbc News, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2025

Emergency slide accidently deploys:Delta Air Lines flight canceled after flight crew makes mistake Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above