1
as in chance
happening by chance
finding the gold was all the more remarkable because its discovery was entirely accidental
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irrelevant
not being a vital part of or belonging to something
we're considering the painting's merit as a work of art, its commercial value being entirely accidental as far as we're concerned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of accidental
The cause and manner of death in the cases included accidental drownings, a suicide, drug toxicity, blunt force trauma and cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner data.
—
Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The standoff risks testing regional alliances, drawing the attention of global powers, and increasing the possibility of accidental clashes at sea or in nearby airspace.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Tom Aspinall’s return to the octagon in Abu Dhabi didn’t go as planned on Saturday night, as his bout with Ciryl Gane quickly ended after an accidental poke in the eye.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Lastly, ensure the filter is thoroughly dry before reinstalling it to prevent an accidental short circuit inside the unit.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The standoff risks testing regional alliances, drawing the attention of global powers, and increasing the possibility of accidental clashes at sea or in nearby airspace.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Tom Aspinall’s return to the octagon in Abu Dhabi didn’t go as planned on Saturday night, as his bout with Ciryl Gane quickly ended after an accidental poke in the eye.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Lastly, ensure the filter is thoroughly dry before reinstalling it to prevent an accidental short circuit inside the unit.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accidental
Adjective
-
Each was played a stream of speech that contained relevant comments and other irrelevant information, all spoken in a flat tone.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Its cable properties are increasingly irrelevant in the market, and networks like Logo, MTV and TV Land have been starved of new content for years.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While defending in front of the Minnesota net, an inadvertent high stick caught Eriksson Ek in the face.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Pally goes with the flow as well as anyone, which puts an interviewer at ease — as that’s when inadvertent insults can happen.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The administration says this will eliminate the need for external tents during state events, something the president has complained about in the past.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The primary cue the body uses to synchronize this cycle to its external environment is light.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Their shoes’ aesthetic blends modern minimalism with classic styles that are designed to be subtle enough for everyday wear but with a twist thanks to the footwear’s unexpected details.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But on the walk over, the night took an unexpected turn when one of the girls in his group, Holly, broke a heel.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Although individual plants have a lifespan of 30-90 years, adventitious shoots grow up from roots.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
5 July 2025
-
The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker.—
Mark Greif,
Harper's Magazine,
26 July 2024
Adjective
-
Unfinished in this case does not mean unintentional, as the tray of beads inevitably waiting to be incorporated into the tapestry introduces a layer of tension (or mystery) as to what the work will become in its end state.—
Mario Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Deaths among those ages 5 to 19 also increased in Eastern Europe, high-income North America and the Caribbean, and among adolescents and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa, due to infectious diseases and unintentional injuries.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Gray emphasized that true free play is not oriented around extrinsic goals, such as earning a high grade from a teacher or impressing a soccer coach.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Those new to options trading should understand basic terms (e.g., premiums, extrinsic and intrinsic value, moneyness) and know the Greeks (measurements of an option’s sensitivity to various factors).—
Michael Martin,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And, those costs are not always incidental, particularly with pickups.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Gestures, colloquialisms, facial expressions, local cuisine, and the like are not incidental to a tongue but constitute it; sometimes, to capture a word or phrase, in writing or in an algorithm, is to stamp out its meaning.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Accidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accidental. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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