unintentional
adjective
un·in·ten·tion·al
ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl 
: not done by intention or design : not intentional
an unintentional effect
causing unintentional harm/offense
unintentionally
adverb
an unintentionally offensive remark
Examples of unintentional in a Sentence
an unintentional encounter with an old classmate at the mall
an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s some unintentional comedy in The Last Waltz with the seriousness of Scorsese versus the sometimes ridiculous things these guys were saying.
—
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2025
An unintentional foul resulted in two more Bandelj free throws, but Fullerton’s Bryce Cofield tipped in a basket with three seconds left to trim the lead to 91-90.
—Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
In the past, the Supreme Court might have been more likely to rule that even unintentional discrimination toward people of color is still a violation of the Voting Rights Act, Kang said.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
But the first few months of unintentional abstinence forced me to get honest with myself.
—Essence, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
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Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2025
An unintentional foul resulted in two more Bandelj free throws, but Fullerton’s Bryce Cofield tipped in a basket with three seconds left to trim the lead to 91-90.
—Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
In the past, the Supreme Court might have been more likely to rule that even unintentional discrimination toward people of color is still a violation of the Voting Rights Act, Kang said.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
But the first few months of unintentional abstinence forced me to get honest with myself.
—Essence, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Cite this Entry
“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintentional. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
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