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
There are claims about negligent or accidental discharges.
—
Jennifer Mayerle, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
According to the lawsuit, children were not accidental casualties.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Buckley died in May 1997 at age 30 in an accidental drowning, three years after releasing Grace.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
Investigators have not released a cause by found the fire to be accidental, according to the police report.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Jennifer Mayerle, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
According to the lawsuit, children were not accidental casualties.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Buckley died in May 1997 at age 30 in an accidental drowning, three years after releasing Grace.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
Investigators have not released a cause by found the fire to be accidental, according to the police report.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accidental
Adjective
-
For example, in learning contexts, adaptive forgetting, or the ability to let go of irrelevant information, can actually improve cognitive performance overall.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s detractors may dismiss these bonds as empty or irrelevant.—
Daniel Yudkin,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Kevin Durant swatted it against the backboard, and then there was an inadvertent whistle during a scramble for the loose ball.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Skims said in the statement that the error was inadvertent.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
It's also made with a padded sleeve for a 16-inch laptop and a hidden external pocket in the back, perfect for keeping a passport safe.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
-
As the cryptocurrency market matures, the impact of macro and external factors has increased, causing Bitcoin to act more like a global macro‑asset rather than just a niche digital asset commodity.—
William Jones,
Ascend Agency,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While the actual commercial will have to wait for Super Bowl Sunday, the Bosch teaser is another example of brands leaning on star power and unexpected humor to stand out in the weeks ahead of the game.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
To keep this oversized look from appearing stale, designers are being a bit more playful in their approach to silhouettes, balancing shorter crops with a wider hem or bringing an unexpected fabric into the mix.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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
-
In 2025, there were at least 232 unintentional shootings by children, resulting in 92 deaths and 147 injuries across the United States.—
Myron Rolle,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Investigators think the juvenile’s injuries were unintentional and sustained during the deaths, Becchina said.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Early longevity studies analyzed groups of people who were born in a time of widespread extrinsic mortality.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Common in the Ninth Circuit, the extrinsic test looks at comparison, context and, in a case like this, specific plot elements.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But what distinguishes this series is how incidental all the superhero business is meant to feel.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In the end, McAdams’ sexiness isn’t incidental, but integral to how she’s been misjudged.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Accidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accidental. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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