Definition of inadvertent
1 : not focusing the mind on a matter : inattentive
2 : unintentional an inadvertent omission
inadvertently
adverbFrom the M-W Editors
Examples of inadvertent in a Sentence
an inadvertent encounter with a rattlesnake in the brush
Recent Examples of inadvertent from the Web
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Just moments earlier, an inadvertent Marshall hand-ball in the box went uncalled, much to the dismay of furious Portland players.
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To convict, prosecutors must prove that the violation was knowing and willful, not merely inadvertent.
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In addition to the buttons, the main KU library is fitted with a sign that explains the importance of using a person's correct gender pronouns and the harm that comes with even inadvertent misgendering.
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A security breach at the Forsyth County Tax Commissioners office led to the inadvertent release Social Security numbers of nearly 20,000 residents.
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Three of the losses were games that Buford won but were overturned by forfeit for the inadvertent use of ineligible players.
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Sweetness — perhaps inadvertent sweetness — has been part of his arsenal from the beginning.
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Is that just a coincidence—an inadvertent consequence of evolving stacks that better absorb green light?
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Still, their inadvertent creations suggest that our own stone technology may have had similar accidental beginnings.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inadvertent'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Formation of Inadvertent
It may look innocent, but inadvertent belongs to a class of words that provoke anger in many people who care about language – to wit, the back-formation. Bucking the usual trend in which longer words are formed from shorter ones by the addition of an affix (for example, superficiality from superficial), back-formations are created by clipping off a piece of a longer word; in this case, inadvertent was back-formed from inadvertence or inadvertency. A fair number of these words populate English, including brainwash (from brainwashing), complicit (from complicity), escalate (from escalator), and televise (from television). Certain back-formations, such as liaise (which comes from liaison) rub some people the wrong way. While they are under no obligation to accept liaise, there is nothing inherently wrong with back-formations; they are just another way our language has of creating new words.
Origin and Etymology of inadvertent
back-formation from inadvertence
INADVERTENT Defined for English Language Learners
inadvertent
playDefinition of inadvertent for English Language Learners
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: not intended or planned
INADVERTENT Defined for Kids
inadvertent
playDefinition of inadvertent for Students
: not intended or deliberate : accidental an inadvertent mistake
inadvertently
adverbLearn More about inadvertent
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inadvertent Spanish Central: Translation of inadvertent Nglish: Translation of inadvertent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inadvertent for Arabic speakers
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