INADVERTENTLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

inadvertently

adverb

as in accidentally

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of inadvertently Investigators with the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal later reviewed Ring camera footage from inside the home, which showed the family’s dog, Bo, jumping onto the kitchen counter before inadvertently activating the toaster. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 Neighbors rescue two dogs from burning home Fire officials said Bo was the dog seen on video inadvertently turning on the toaster. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 14 July 2026 Starring alongside Julian Dennison, in a breakout performance, Neill plays the gruff Uncle Hec who inadvertently becomes the foster father to Dennison’s errant Ricky Baker. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026 These factors strongly correlate to the development of early-stage Alzheimer’s, suggesting anyone who regularly comes into contact with rubber tires may be inadvertently exposing themselves to brain-altering chemicals. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 9 July 2026 Sevigny holds firm to Tatum’s hard-to-love jerkishness, which helps smooth over the serious arguments that can turn inadvertently silly (and amplifies the purely silly ones). — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 July 2026 The government agency that collects property taxes in Puerto Rico inadvertently exposed the Social Security numbers of approximately 1 million people, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo and ProPublica learned. — Luis Valentín, ProPublica, 9 July 2026 This could inadvertently create a legal profession divided by technology, hindering smaller firms' ability to compete. — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 But the mapmaker drew Lake Michigan just a smidge too far north…inadvertently creating a section of land, called the Toledo Strip, that both Michigan and Ohio had reason to claim. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertently

Adverb

As the defender swung his leg at the ball, Yamal nipped in ahead of him and was accidentally kicked by Digne.

— Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Around the seven-minute mark of the second quarter, Nelson came flying in for a block but accidentally landed on Washington (12 points, six rebounds), who was trying to take a charge on a layup attempt from Portland’s Quincy Olivari.

— Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026

Definition of accidentally

Adverb

But Balogun may have unwittingly played a role in the team’s demise as well.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Storied actor Judd Hirsch played Daniel’s lovably neurotic father, who finds himself unwittingly along for the top-secret ride.

— Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

Definition of unwittingly

Adverb

Summer is the time to be unintentionally vegetarian with recipes like this vegetable soup.

— Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 July 2026
While the circumstances may sound unusual, fire safety experts say pets unintentionally start house fires more often than many people realize.

— Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Definition of unintentionally

Adverb

But aside from the virtually non-existent rear visibility and my tendency to unconsciously favor the left side of the lane due to the car’s central seating position, the 21C is remarkably easy to acclimate to.

— Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
Many liberals had been disciplined to adopt methods that purported to strictly confine legal interpretation, only to discover that their most prominent adherents, whether covertly or unconsciously, had other plans.

— Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026

Definition of unconsciously

Adverb

And fortuitously, Napalm Death, who played a 19-minute set, espouse the same lefty politics as NPR, in fact maybe even a little more leftist, all things considered, since Barney Greenway wore a Crass T-shirt to the gig.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
Dean Fleischer Camp directed the film, which was originally meant to stream on Disney+, but fortuitously, things changed and, in 2024, the film was given a theatrical release.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 June 2026

Definition of fortuitously

Adverb

Flying an unmanned aircraft system carelessly or recklessly, interfering with a first responder operation, is also a misdemeanor under state law and San Diego municipal code.

— Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
Officials said activities connected to people ‒ from fireworks to carelessly discarded cigarettes ‒ have sparked 75% of wildfires in Utah in 2026.

— Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Definition of carelessly

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inadvertent

inadvertently

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“Inadvertently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertently. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of inadvertently

adverb

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