as in accidental
happening by chance
an inadvertent encounter with a rattlesnake in the brush
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Recent Examples of inadvertent
Its inadvertent ability to double up as a whoopee cushion when sat on did not help its case.
—
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
In 141 breaches and inadvertent data releases between 2023 and 2025, the comptroller’s office found officials delayed reporting 48% of incidents to the New York State Education Department, and held up notifying families about 11% of the time.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
In another incident drawn from Davidson’s real life, he’s brutally beaten by men with iron bars after one of his tics leads to an inadvertent comment made to a young woman.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 28 Apr. 2026
Providers also can fall victim to inadvertent bias, assuming a young, otherwise healthy patient must be dealing with something other than shingles.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
In 141 breaches and inadvertent data releases between 2023 and 2025, the comptroller’s office found officials delayed reporting 48% of incidents to the New York State Education Department, and held up notifying families about 11% of the time.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
In another incident drawn from Davidson’s real life, he’s brutally beaten by men with iron bars after one of his tics leads to an inadvertent comment made to a young woman.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 28 Apr. 2026
Providers also can fall victim to inadvertent bias, assuming a young, otherwise healthy patient must be dealing with something other than shingles.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadvertent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertent
accidental
Adjective
-
Always turn off the electricity and water supply line and remove nearby light fixtures when dealing with bursting ceiling pipes to avoid accidental electrocution.—
Helen Andriatsitohaina,
The Spruce,
24 June 2026
-
In fact, the two met via an accidental Instagram follow.—
Kaitlyn Harvey,
AJC.com,
24 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inadvertent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertent. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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