unintentional

adjective

un·​in·​ten·​tion·​al
ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
 How to pronounce unintentional (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This can be unintentional or—here’s a shocker—some people can actually lie on the Internet. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025 For the third time in three years, the number of individuals suffering unintentional deaths caused by drugs and alcohol has dropped, a trend that’s being mirrored on the national level. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025 When To See a Doctor If your loss of appetite leads to a significant or unintentional weight loss of more than 10 pounds, see a doctor. Laura Schober, Health, 21 Aug. 2025 In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged. Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unintentional

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unintentional was in 1782

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Cite this Entry

“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintentional. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on unintentional

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