as in accidental
happening by chance
an inadvertent encounter with a rattlesnake in the brush
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Recent Examples of inadvertent
There was nothing at all inadvertent about its disappearance.
—
Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
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
His suicide was collective murder in which the Iranian public were inadvertent participants.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
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
His suicide was collective murder in which the Iranian public were inadvertent participants.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertent
accidental
Adjective
-
That emphasis on independence is not accidental.—
K. H. Koehler,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Bud can’t make a joke to his daughters without accidental gender essentialism.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inadvertent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertent. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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