unintentionally

adverb

as in inadvertently

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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 unintentionally The person who delays repayment may create tension, even if unintentionally. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Godreque Newsom was accused of unintentionally killing 27-year-old Abari Meade in a car wreck and fleeing the scene. — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 22 July 2026 Tips for Spraying Remember to avoid using sprays during the heat of the day, and don’t spray flowers—organic products can unintentionally harm pollinators, too. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 20 July 2026 Improve Airflow Around Your Home Southern gardens are known for lush landscaping, but shrubs planted too close to the house can unintentionally trap humidity against the siding. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 July 2026 The vampire saved the show from imminent cancelation, prompting a spike in ratings and a new direction away from a moody Jane Eyre-like gothic romance style to outright supernatural (if unintentionally campy) horror. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026 While the circumstances may sound unusual, fire safety experts say pets unintentionally start house fires more often than many people realize. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 Police said several friends were at the home, and that at some point the teen unintentionally fired a gun, hitting a 15-year-old girl. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 July 2026 Parking lamps and daytime running lights that turn off or flicker unintentionally can increase the likelihood of a crash, according to the recall report. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentionally
  1. inadvertently
  2. accidentally
  3. unwittingly
  4. unconsciously
  5. fortuitously
  6. carelessly
  7. arbitrarily
  8. casually
Adverb
  • Experts caution against using Japanese beetle traps to manage infestations, since these pheromone-releasing devices can inadvertently attract more beetles to your garden.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 21 July 2026
  • An early investigation into the fire found that the victim — who was blind — was inside his apartment when the oven was inadvertently turned on, according to the coroner’s office.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of inadvertently
Adverb
  • The team’s social media department was preparing the stream in advance and accidentally published the link.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Moss recalled a bass fishing trip last fall when his son accidentally hooked Brooke in the shoulder while fish were busting on the surface in front of them.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of accidentally
Adverb
  • Robert is unwittingly entrapped, and has absconded with something mob bigwig Lombardi wants revenge for.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • Recent reporting suggests Thiel has extended the argument to Pope Leo XIV directly, framing the current pope’s openness to AI regulation as making him—unwittingly—a vehicle for the same dynamic.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of unwittingly
Adverb
  • His brilliant work and my brother’s life started to merge unconsciously for me.
    — Josh Penn Soskin, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • But aside from the virtually non-existent rear visibility and my tendency to unconsciously favor the left side of the lane due to the car’s central seating position, the 21C is remarkably easy to acclimate to.
    — Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
Definition of unconsciously
Adverb
  • And fortuitously, Napalm Death, who played a 19-minute set, espouse the same lefty politics as NPR, in fact maybe even a little more leftist, all things considered, since Barney Greenway wore a Crass T-shirt to the gig.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
  • Dean Fleischer Camp directed the film, which was originally meant to stream on Disney+, but fortuitously, things changed and, in 2024, the film was given a theatrical release.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of fortuitously
Adverb
  • Flying an unmanned aircraft system carelessly or recklessly, interfering with a first responder operation, is also a misdemeanor under state law and San Diego municipal code.
    — Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • Officials said activities connected to people ‒ from fireworks to carelessly discarded cigarettes ‒ have sparked 75% of wildfires in Utah in 2026.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of carelessly
Adverb
  • This kind of beauty has nothing to do with perfection, which is distributed so arbitrarily and approximated so gracelessly.
    — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
  • This allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and no longer arbitrarily subjects them to traffic control measures designed for other types of vehicles.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of arbitrarily
Adverb
  • The 1962 film version featured a more innocent family with a daughter who’s presexual and thus a naïve object of lust for Robert Mitchum’s casually lascivious Cady.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • In a video that’s racking up millions of views online, a curious bear strolled up to a golf cart at Golden Eagle Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, helped itself to a player's golf bag, then casually dragged it away from the tee box.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Definition of casually

Browse Nearby Words

unintentional
unintentionally
uninterested
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Cite this Entry

“Unintentionally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentionally. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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