unintended

adjective

un·​in·​tend·​ed ˌən-in-ˈten-dəd 

: not planned as a purpose or goal : not deliberate or intended

an unintended consequence/effect

an unintended pregnancy

Synonyms of unintended

• accidental

Examples of unintended in a Sentence

backyard digging that resulted in unintended damage to buried phone wires

a response that yielded an unintended insight into her personal character

Recent Examples on the Web

An unintended consequence is what happened after voting ended in this summer's primary. — Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026

Buffett’s unintended bet on AI has shown up in other ways, too. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

The theory suggests that aging is not an adaptation in itself but an unintended consequence of evolutionary compromises. — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

This is the unintended but very real consequence of the death penalty. — Sharon Risher, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unintended

• apprehended
• comprehended
• condescended
• recommended
• resuspended
• unamended
• unattended
• undefended
• undescended
• unexpended
• amended
• appended