Synonyms of unintentional

unintentional

adjective

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

• accidental
• inadvertent
• unexpected
• chance
• unintended
• incidental
• unplanned
• fortuitous
• casual
• unwitting
• odd
• unpremeditated
• random
• arbitrary
• coincidental
• fluky
• haphazard
• unforeseen
• unforeseeable
• aimless
• uncertain
• unconscious
• involuntary
• freak
• desultory
• forced
• unprompted
• coerced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intentional
• deliberate
• intended
• premeditated
• planned
• calculated
• inevitable
• certain
• predictable
• sure
• foreseeable
• fixed
• destined
• foreseen
• set
• expected
• premeditative
• prescribed
• predetermined
• conscious
• prepense
• voluntary
• willful
• knowing
• unforced
• volunteer
• preordained
• predestined
• foreordained
• freewill

2

as in spontaneous

not made or done willingly or by choice

an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accidental
• spontaneous
• unwilling
• unintended
• involuntary
• forced
• coerced
• automatic
• inadvertent
• impulsive
• will-less
• unplanned
• instinctive
• unpremeditated
• unconscious
• unwitting
• unprompted
• unknowing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intentional
• deliberate
• voluntary
• willful
• willing
• conscious
• unforced
• purposeful
• uncoerced
• premeditated
• knowing
• planned
• considered
• advised
• volitional
• freewill
• premeditative
• prepense
• self-inflicted
• self-imposed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unintentional

Yet alcohol contributes to millions of deaths globally each year and is linked to cancer, liver disease, unintentional accidents, violence and, importantly, dependence and addiction. — Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

The report also listed the leading causes of death in 2025, with the top three being estimated as heart disease with 694,708 deaths, cancer with 622,832 deaths and unintentional injuries with 184,265 deaths. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 2 July 2026

But somewhere in the process, a misread signal or an unintentional breach of a norm that no term sheet mentioned created a rupture that the financial structure could not repair. — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

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