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
According to advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been at least 120 unintentional shootings in 2026 by children, resulting in 43 deaths and 79 injuries.
—
Michael Guise, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Interesting infestations While the evidence for all of that remains slim, some researchers have reported benefits from unintentional maggots in wounds, which often go unreported in healthcare settings.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026
What makes a person ethical is having the ability to acknowledge intentional mistakes, unintentional mistakes, and the willingness to keep trying to be a better person.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
But the main thing that happened, which was unintentional, is that Americans got much older.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
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Michael Guise, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Interesting infestations While the evidence for all of that remains slim, some researchers have reported benefits from unintentional maggots in wounds, which often go unreported in healthcare settings.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026
What makes a person ethical is having the ability to acknowledge intentional mistakes, unintentional mistakes, and the willingness to keep trying to be a better person.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
But the main thing that happened, which was unintentional, is that Americans got much older.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Cite this Entry
“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintentional. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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