accident

noun

ˈak-sə-dənt How to pronounce accident (audio)
Definition of accidentnext
1
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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 To qualify, drivers must win a top placement at their state competition, sport a clean, preventable accident-free safety record for the previous year, and meet full-time driving requirements with their company. — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to a GoFundMe supporting Ashley Taunton, a Connecticut mother of three who suffered life-threatening injuries while helping strangers after a car accident in Rhode Island. — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2026 Taylor Swift has donated $50,000 to help a Rhode Island mother who was left seriously injured in a car accident last month, NBC News has confirmed. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026 According to the fundraising page, Taunton saw someone in need after a car accident and pulled over during a heavy rainstorm to help. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accident
  1. casualty
  2. luck
  3. disaster
  4. chance
  5. catastrophe
  6. circumstance
  7. mishap
  8. tragedy
Noun
  • The flooding has also resulted in widespread casualties at the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet region.
    — Callum Sutherland, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The true scale of the casualties may take days to become clear, however, with power and communication lines swept away in some areas.
    — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of casualty
Noun
  • If Dublin has any luck left for underdogs, Belichick could certainly use some.
    — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Games that involve equal parts strategy and luck are ideal for groups that meet regularly.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of luck
Noun
  • Displaced from their homes, hundreds of families resettled on the low-lying banks of the Trishuli river – only to face yet another horrific disaster on Wednesday.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Purchase and install emergency generators, integrate electrical systems, and conduct testing and preparedness activities so participating rural hospitals can maintain critical services during outages and disasters.
    — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • He was projected as a late-round draft pick in 2026, and another productive season, along with further development in the SEC, could boost his chances for a lasting NFL career starting in 2027.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Then, there will be another chance for some showers Friday into Saturday as a cold front approaches.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of chance
Noun
  • Summary Coastal and high-risk hotels face soaring insurance premiums, up 45-100%, as natural catastrophe losses escalate.
    — Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • That didn’t stop catastrophes like the 2018 fire in the Sierra foothills that destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 85.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Other complicating factors can include things like child custody, income, housing and other circumstances that can make domestic survivors feel stuck.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Biz2Credit also considers the circumstances, particularly for seasonal businesses or companies seeking financing to smooth out short-term cash flow irregularities.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of circumstance
Noun
  • An American Airlines plane blew two tires while taxiing for departure at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration – the fourth tire mishap in a month at the airport.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Marine Corps has not publicly confirmed that Simon’s F-18 struck power lines before the crash and has said the cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mishap
Noun
  • But the scale of the tragedy is becoming clear, with social media filled with countless pleas for help – including from the Nepali diaspora overseas.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Quite the tragedy because my brows are such a prominent part of my face.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tragedy

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accessory
accident
accidental
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Cite this Entry

“Accident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accident. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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