ACCIDENT Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

accident

noun

ˈak-sə-dənt

Definition of accident

as in casualty

a chance and usually sudden event bringing loss or injury was involved in a minor accident on her way home from work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in luck

the uncertain course of events you shouldn't leave it to accident to decide where you'll be lodging in the course of your trip across the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of accident His death was ruled an accident, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said, per the outlet. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 The photographs went out on social media, and the conclusion most people reached was that radiation had finally shown itself, 40 years after the accident. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Accompanied by his wife Kourtney Kardashian, Barker flew on Kylie Jenner’s private jet in August 2021, marking his first time in the air since his accident. — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 Gustavo Mendez, 39, of Boca Raton, is facing a charge of failure to remain on scene in an accident involving death, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accident

Recent Examples of Synonyms for accident

Noun

Both fell into the water and caused no damage or casualties, the UAE said on Wednesday.

— Jenni Reid,Emma Graham, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
All strategic objectives in Iran are failing, while half-hearted support for Ukraine has resulted in a devastating surge in civilian casualties.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of casualty

Noun

Certainly offensive puck luck was part of the story for the power play down the stretch; the club converted nearly 24 percent of its power-play shots over the final 25 games.

— Thomas Drance, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Europe's weather luck may have run out this year, and the war in Iran is going to make things worse.

— Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of luck

Noun

The baby’s father, Andres Garcia, survived the boat disaster, a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Rescuers continued recovering bodies from the artisanal mining site in Zamboye, near the border with Cameroon, but local workers said the response lacked the equipment and expertise needed for a disaster of such scale.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

Historically, the ruling party in Nigeria's presidential elections usually has a higher chance of winning when the race features more than one prominent opposition candidate.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
But with races like the one in Alaska, the party sees an opportunity to improve its chances.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of chance

Noun

That tension between catastrophe for humanity and recovery for nature runs all the way to the ending.

— Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
The first step in averting this spiral toward catastrophe is for both Beijing and Washington to bear in mind that these economic tools were not designed as weapons.

— GLORIA XIONG, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Noun

For those unaware, US visa applications require applicants to reveal any history of drug use, which can result in denial depending on the circumstances.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 24 Aug. 2026
The exact circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of circumstance

Noun

Amazon expands drone deliveries The drone delivery mishap comes as Amazon plans to expand its Prime Air drone delivery service.

— Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
The mishap comes at an awkwardly fitting moment for an industry that has spent years promising packages, takeout, and everyday essentials would eventually descend from the sky.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of mishap

Noun

At first, its plea to remain somewhere in an old lover’s life can feel like the whole tragedy.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Boeing has admitted fault in these tragedies, attributing the cause of the crashes to a flawed Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).

— Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tragedy

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accessory

accident

accidental

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“Accident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accident. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of accident

noun

Example Sentences

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'Accidental' vs. 'Incidental'

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