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

With change comes unintended consequences. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 June 2026

When planning his funeral, an unintended slight could ignite the reordering of eulogists or the dropping and replacement of a pallbearer, only for them to be brought back again days later. — Griffin Dunne, Vulture, 19 June 2026

Glucosamine, a popular joint pain supplement, may have unintended consequences for people with cognitive decline. — Cathy Nelson, Health, 18 June 2026

Critics argue that the unintended consequence has been a system optimized for enforcement at scale that can, at times, struggle to distinguish between bad actors and legitimate publishers. — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 23 June 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