inadvertently

adverb

as in accidentally

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Example Sentences

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 In that moment, Wiley’s friend inadvertently hit another car while Wiley’s door was open. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 This leads to River commandeering a woman’s car and inadvertently gaining a partner in her dog Monty, who doesn’t figure into the action but is most assuredly a Very Good Boy. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 Expect to see some thunderous passes — maybe inadvertently from one goalkeeper to another — as the big kickers meet. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Executives who remain tethered to routine reporting or data validation could inadvertently create an organizational bottleneck. — Alexandra J. Zanela, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Giulia eventually entered through the back door, inadvertently bypassing the cameras Conor had set up to capture her reaction. — Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 Once discarded, these traps also inadvertently capture birds and other wildlife. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 8 Oct. 2026 However, Harvey said, such a demotion must be carefully implemented so as not to inadvertently punish Championship League teams investing the right way in the hopes of making the top flight. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Duviel was supposed to be in the van with his father but because of appendicitis was not, inadvertently saving his life. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadvertently
  1. accidentally
  2. unwittingly
  3. unintentionally
  4. unconsciously
  5. fortuitously
  6. carelessly
Adverb
  • And one of the league's small market owners accidentally admitted that baseball is more profitable than one of the most famously lucrative industries on planet earth.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • With the audience already erupting in laughter, Magliano dug in her heels, poking fun at the United States’ strict broadcasting rules after Gillis accidentally dropped the F-bomb during a sketch.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidentally
Adverb
  • Anyone who waited by the stage door at London’s Trafalgar Theatre last year may well have unwittingly been offered a major clue about a development within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • When Jay encounters a giant squid being chased by a mammoth sperm whale, he’s unwittingly entangled in the former’s tentacles and swallowed up in one extended, terrifying sequence.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of unwittingly
Adverb
  • The Fresh Prince comment referred, unintentionally or not, to the infamous 2022 Oscar-night moment when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face after the latter made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The results range from remarkably accurate to unintentionally hilarious.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unintentionally
Adverb
  • Our brain makes these predictions both consciously and unconsciously, relying on past sensory and physical experience to run the odds.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also evidence that some mimicry happens unconsciously.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconsciously
Adverb
  • And, fortuitously for would-be sponsors, something happened in tennis that made these arrangements even more appealing.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The earnings announcement was fortuitously timed, coming just as reports were surfacing of high-level OpenAI employees joining the company.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fortuitously
Adverb
  • Neither phone should be used carelessly at the beach, but that higher dust rating offers a little more peace of mind.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Combine them carelessly and you either gold-plate the commercial layer or under-build the safety-critical one.
    — Stephen Farrugia, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of carelessly

Browse Nearby Words

inadvertent
inadvertently
inadvisability
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Cite this Entry

“Inadvertently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadvertently. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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