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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spontaneous
not made or done willingly or by choice
an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unintentional
In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged.
—
Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025
In response, experts urged parents to diligently examine ingredient labels before purchasing any beverages for their child in order to avoid unintentional caffeine exposure.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14.
—Karen Cohn, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
This perfidious situation, unintentional as its creation may have been, was strongly critiqued as far back as 1983 by Jonathan Crush and Paul Wellings in an article in The Journal of Modern African Studies.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025
In response, experts urged parents to diligently examine ingredient labels before purchasing any beverages for their child in order to avoid unintentional caffeine exposure.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14.
—Karen Cohn, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
This perfidious situation, unintentional as its creation may have been, was strongly critiqued as far back as 1983 by Jonathan Crush and Paul Wellings in an article in The Journal of Modern African Studies.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentional
Adjective
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Taylor Farms has recalled its Honey Balsamic Salad Kits in response to an accidental switch in the salad dressing.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The safety lock prevents accidental deployment while the Flex Shears tool is in your pocket or bag.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Butler never imagined Zimmerer – a typically non-spontaneous person – would drop everything to book a flight and travel more than 1,500 miles from Nebraska to be there.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Earlier in the tournament, Sinner said that their meetings now will never be quite as spontaneous as the epic five-setter here three years ago, which announced their rivalry to the world.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Investors may be unwilling to pay a higher multiple for UTHR, especially amid rising competitive pressures.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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But wooing Western partners would likely involve some compromises that these dictators are probably unwilling to make.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Establishing strict fairness and safety checks helps prevent unintended biases or harmful errors, thus safeguarding both your organization’s reputation and operational integrity.—
Dimitar Dimitrov,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Sagan described another major pathway to unintended nuclear catastrophes.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentional. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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