as in accidental
happening by chance
an inadvertent encounter with a rattlesnake in the brush
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inadvertent
An inadvertent release of nerve gas in March 1968 killed 6,000 sheep and harmed an untold number of people.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Many videos of him are humorous, with Gen Zers sharing edits of Bush as some kind of inadvertent comedy icon.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
But an inadvertent mistake can have huge consequences.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
In addition to hats, hosiery, and purses, in the 1950s a woman’s gloves helped avoid inadvertent intimacy with men.
—Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Many videos of him are humorous, with Gen Zers sharing edits of Bush as some kind of inadvertent comedy icon.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
But an inadvertent mistake can have huge consequences.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
In addition to hats, hosiery, and purses, in the 1950s a woman’s gloves helped avoid inadvertent intimacy with men.
—Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertent
accidental
Adjective
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On sale for $14, this hanging toiletry bag is big enough to hold all of your skincare, haircare, and makeup essentials while protecting your clothes from accidental spills.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
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The three victims' deaths were ruled accidental, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inadvertent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertent. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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