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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 Leclerc was battling with Oscar Piastri for fourth place at the time of the accident. — Luke Smith, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 Officers with the Traffic Investigations Unit were looking into the details surrounding the accident. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026 Brinkley said their close bond didn't happen by accident but was rooted in the example set by her own parents. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 The state's Department of Ecology filed a violation notice against the company after the accident, listing 35 citations. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 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 Jordanian Foreign Ministry said there were Jordanians among the casualties, without providing a toll.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In its war against Ukraine, Russia has also demonstrated a high tolerance for military casualties.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of casualty
Noun
  • The prospects who are performing well enough to expect a September call-up in a normal season, like Parks Harber, might be out of luck.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The big one, of course, is that NASCAR created a new playoff format meant to erase luck.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of luck
Noun
  • Sceye and SoftBank used an emergency alert system designed for large-scale disasters.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The scale of the disaster has proved challenging for authorities, with morgues overwhelmed by a large number of unidentified remains.
    — Andrew Jones, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • Below, find last-chance deals on summer sandals, fall-ready booties, ultra-cute ballet flats, and more for up to 79 percent off.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The chances of flash flooding within 25 miles of any location in Jefferson and Hardin counties had increased to a moderate risk of 40% to 69%, Jones said.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of chance
Noun
  • More than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead and thousands remain missing after the catastrophe, according to authorities in both countries.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As the story moves breathlessly through the neighborhood’s streets and interiors, Kodeih, who also edited the feature, and cinematographer Tony Kopec zero in on a jumpy, kinetic tension between looming catastrophe and potential triumph.
    — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Palace had a four-vs-three overload and scored in farcical circumstances.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Beyond these core features, Quicken Simplifi’s insights can predict your spending in future months based on past spending patterns, as well as model your available funds later in retirement based on different decisions or circumstances.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of circumstance
Noun
  • Raman is now easily scoring off of Bass mishaps, like the mayor’s response to the Lineage warehouse fire and her random broadside against street vendors during a debate in Sherman Oaks last month.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • If not for a passport mishap, Zhang and Han would be joined by another center — 6-7 Li Yueru, who plays with the WNBA's Dallas Wings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of mishap
Noun
  • The accident was one of the Portuguese capital’s worst tragedies in recent memory and cast a shadow over the city’s ongoing tourism boom.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • These days, the existential challenges faced by newspapers across the country sound more like a Shakespearean tragedy than a comedy.
    — Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tragedy

Browse Nearby Words

accessory
accident
accidental
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Accident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accident. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stigma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All