as in accidentally
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Recent Examples of inadvertently
Tourette’s activist John Davidson, who inadvertently shouted the N-word during the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night, has released a statement after widespread backlash.
—
Ellise Shafer, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Aaron Peskin, a former San Francisco supervisor and outspoken progressive, said a law Wiener wrote inadvertently stifled local housing and affordability efforts.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
That was until Pope Leo inadvertently sanctified them in 2026.
—Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
To raise both media awareness around Owens’s killing and money for the family, Gandbhir and her editor, Viridiana Lieberman, made a film in which cops inadvertently serve as cinematographers.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Additionally, due to its nitrogen content, CGM acts as a fertilizer, which can inadvertently promote the growth of existing weeds.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
The nearly 19-pound largemouth is big enough to qualify as a record, but a strange state law that Thao inadvertently broke while transporting and weighing the fish could get in the way of that achievement.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 Feb. 2026
Hoiberg’s hand appeared to inadvertently strike an Iowa staff member who was going through the line.
—Eric Olson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Human farming practices may have inadvertently created an artificial niche for these fungi, with coffee bushes brought into widespread contact with banana plants and Solanum weeds.
—Lily Peck, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026
Ellise Shafer, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Aaron Peskin, a former San Francisco supervisor and outspoken progressive, said a law Wiener wrote inadvertently stifled local housing and affordability efforts.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
That was until Pope Leo inadvertently sanctified them in 2026.
—Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
To raise both media awareness around Owens’s killing and money for the family, Gandbhir and her editor, Viridiana Lieberman, made a film in which cops inadvertently serve as cinematographers.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Additionally, due to its nitrogen content, CGM acts as a fertilizer, which can inadvertently promote the growth of existing weeds.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
The nearly 19-pound largemouth is big enough to qualify as a record, but a strange state law that Thao inadvertently broke while transporting and weighing the fish could get in the way of that achievement.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 Feb. 2026
Hoiberg’s hand appeared to inadvertently strike an Iowa staff member who was going through the line.
—Eric Olson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Human farming practices may have inadvertently created an artificial niche for these fungi, with coffee bushes brought into widespread contact with banana plants and Solanum weeds.
—Lily Peck, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertently
Adverb
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When trying to learn something new, keep a careful eye on your sources to avoid accidentally memorizing false information.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
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The special’s Lin-Manuel Miranda joke is about Fleming accidentally DM-ing Miranda an unedited two-minute-long video of himself breathing heavily outside a Starbucks.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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While Levin and his organization may have unwittingly become part of the story, his advice to continue using TMZ as a conduit for communication with authorities further centered the media’s role — not just in reporting the case, but directly influencing law enforcement’s investigation.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
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What emerges is a portrait of Interlochen as an institution that celebrated openness, but that in accepting Epstein's financial support became unwittingly associated with his crimes.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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But, as well-meaning people sometimes do, the nanny managed to unintentionally give Sarah one more round of hell.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
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Iran’s regime and its terrorism multipliers, Hamas and Hezbollah, have unintentionally magnified Israel’s security.—
George F. Will,
Washington Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Screen or email apnea happens when someone unconsciously holds their breath or breathes more shallowly while looking at their screen to answer emails or texts, explained Dora Kamau, lead mindfulness and meditation teacher at Headspace.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Any direct influence probably came out unconsciously.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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The margins between top teams have shrunk, intangibles such as fit, culture and identity are more impactful than ever and the number of teams that can aspire to win a national championship seems to have expanded, fortuitously, along with the CFP.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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The following week – fortuitously a bye week for the Knights – Curtis had his first chemo treatment at the Mayo Clinic.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Kim Jung-hyun likens it to a chain – one that, handled carelessly, might snap or tangle, but handled with care, might yet be unraveled.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
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But it shouldn't be approached carelessly, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inadvertently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertently. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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