1
as in accidental
happening by chance
backyard digging that resulted in unintended damage to buried phone wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spontaneous
not made or done willingly or by choice
a response that yielded an unintended insight into her personal character
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unintended
While a dollar going into a plan looks good on paper, unintended consequences can dramatically deplete that dollar to about 55 cents.
—
Jim Hebets, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
In that sense, today’s audiences aren’t rejecting movie history so much as actively excavating it — but that feedback loop could have some unintended consequences for older creators.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
The unintended consequence was light pollution, and in a country with deep astronomical roots—both Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe had worked in an observatory there under imperial patronage—that mattered.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 May 2026
Georgia leaders and legislators have repeatedly called for clearer accountability for the unintended consequences of police chases.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintended
Jim Hebets, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
In that sense, today’s audiences aren’t rejecting movie history so much as actively excavating it — but that feedback loop could have some unintended consequences for older creators.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
The unintended consequence was light pollution, and in a country with deep astronomical roots—both Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe had worked in an observatory there under imperial patronage—that mattered.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 May 2026
Georgia leaders and legislators have repeatedly called for clearer accountability for the unintended consequences of police chases.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintended
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintended
Adjective
-
The New York Times later confirmed that reporting through more anonymous US officials, including one official who said US military investigators were still evaluating whether the Iranian drone strike on the helicopter was intentional or accidental.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
10 June 2026
-
The search warrant obtained by ABC News shows that federal agents were instructed to look for anything that would indicate violations of a law to prevent the accidental release of extremely hazardous substances into the air.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
But for a pivotal game four of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, spontaneous outdoor gatherings won’t be allowed in front of the team’s famed arena.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
-
Now the line gets its third generation, designed to be tossed in a bag and pulled out for spontaneous, screen-free moments.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
And the album’s title track is resolutely unwilling to choose a corner between deep, dark house and dubstep, like a Croydon Larry Heard.—
Ben Cardew,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
The failure is not only one of policy, but of execution — compounded by a political culture increasingly unwilling to measure outcomes honestly, to welcome scrutiny, or to honestly confront evidence that favored approaches are failing.—
Michele Steeb,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
This proposal is filled with unintentional consequences.—
Dwight Earl Williams,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
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Instead, we’re left playing a dangerous game of Whack-A-Mole with an ever-growing web of laws that carry felony consequences for even unintentional violations.—
Toby Leary,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unintended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintended. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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