ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
1
as in accidental
happening by chance
an unintentional encounter with an old classmate at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spontaneous
not made or done willingly or by choice
an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of unintentional
Payment errors occur whenever households receive too much or too little in benefits, regardless of whether anyone intentionally broke the rules, and experts say such over- and under-payments are usually unintentional.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
From October 2023 to September 2025, Cook Children’s saw 121 unintentional gun injuries, five of which were fatal, according to Harley Roden, Aim for Safety program coordinator at Cook Children’s Center for Community Health.
—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 June 2026
Jordan got on the board first in the 36th minute, when Mousa Al-Taamari set up Nizar Al-Rashdan with a perfect false touch – which looked like an unintentional mishit – giving the latter a clean berth to slot home a spinning ball with the outside of his right foot.
—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
The terrible accident happened this past January, leaving the album as an unintentional farewell from an artist who only recently re-emerged on a wider stage.
—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
From October 2023 to September 2025, Cook Children’s saw 121 unintentional gun injuries, five of which were fatal, according to Harley Roden, Aim for Safety program coordinator at Cook Children’s Center for Community Health.
—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 June 2026
Jordan got on the board first in the 36th minute, when Mousa Al-Taamari set up Nizar Al-Rashdan with a perfect false touch – which looked like an unintentional mishit – giving the latter a clean berth to slot home a spinning ball with the outside of his right foot.
—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
The terrible accident happened this past January, leaving the album as an unintentional farewell from an artist who only recently re-emerged on a wider stage.
—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentional
Adjective
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Fire departments have also partnered with the APA to hand out buckets so consumer fireworks users can douse used fireworks, reducing the risk of accidental fires.
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While many may have had one as children, the inception of the toy was accidental.
Adjective
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First, bringing tried-and-true basics allows for spontaneous styling, rather than trying to plan every outfit ahead of time.
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The spontaneous pregnancy was so rare that even some medical professionals struggled to explain its odds.
Adjective
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The cops posted outside of the nearby Swarovski and PINK stores are similarly unwilling to entertain my interrogations.
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Going-to-the-Sun Road, which connects the eastern and western halves of the park, makes the area accessible for those unwilling or unable to explore the backcountry on foot.
Adjective
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And those unintended consequences wound up changing NBA free agency permanently.
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The creation of Amarone is one of the wine world’s great accidents, ranking right up there with the unintended secondary fermentation in bottle that created Champagne and the fermentation-stopping addition of neutral spirit to wine barrels that resulted in the production of Port.
Cite this Entry
“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentional. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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