1
as in accidental
happening by chance
backyard digging that resulted in unintended damage to buried phone wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 unintended
An unintended benefit of outsourcing screeners Republican lawmakers have pushed in recent years to dismantle the agency entirely and replace its screening functions with private contractors overseen by the federal government.
—
Rio Yamat, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Mission Beach is experiencing the unintended consequences of the City Council’s Tier 4 short‑term rental policy, and the results are harming both residents and local businesses.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
The challenge is doing so without triggering compensatory hunger or unintended side effects.
—Claudio Villanueva, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
The statement added that a ratio doesn't fix the underlying nurse shortage and can lead to unintended consequences.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintended
Rio Yamat, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Mission Beach is experiencing the unintended consequences of the City Council’s Tier 4 short‑term rental policy, and the results are harming both residents and local businesses.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
The challenge is doing so without triggering compensatory hunger or unintended side effects.
—Claudio Villanueva, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
The statement added that a ratio doesn't fix the underlying nurse shortage and can lead to unintended consequences.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintended
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintended
Adjective
-
Baker said Wednesday the bill’s life sentence provision would not include cases where a reckless or drunken driver caused the accidental death of an officer.—
Marta Zherukha,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
However, prosecutors say Lee’s questions did not accurately describe the bloody scene or his girlfriend’s body, which showed multiple injuries and blunt force trauma that could not be explained by an accidental fall and instead indicated a violent struggle.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Everybody to Kenmure Street charts the events of the spontaneous community protest on Glasgow’s Kenmure Street, when hundreds united to stop the deportation of their neighbours.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The Bottom Line A spontaneous spring break trip is more doable than many travelers assume.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Iran was either unable or unwilling to help Hamas or Hezbollah fend off Israeli attacks.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Many people fear the ocean and are unwilling to enter its waters.—
Stella Fong,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But, royal biographer Kitty Kelley reported, Diana’s decision to wear the choker as a headband was an unintentional one.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
16 Mar. 2026
-
In New York City, more than 700 adults 55-84 died of unintentional drug poisonings involving opioids in 2024.—
Jennifer Bisram,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unintended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintended. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
