inadvertently

American  

[in-uhd-vur-tnt-lee] / ˌɪn ədˈvɜr tnt li /

adverb

1. unintentionally; without meaning to.

   I apologize to anyone I have inadvertently left off this list.

2. through lack of attention; without anyone noticing.

   There is the potential for one set of rules to inadvertently replace another.

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Etymology

Origin of inadvertently

inadvertent ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Inadvertently is an adverb that means "without knowledge or intent," like when you inadvertently take someone else's coat from the coatroom because it looks just like yours. When you do something inadvertently, you don't mean to do it — you might inadvertently step in a puddle, leave something important at home, or hurt your friend's feelings. Some things that happen inadvertently aren't mistakes, though: They happen by chance. For example, if you just happen to park your car at the exact place that blocks a bus from hitting a pedestrian, you've inadvertently saved a life.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inadvertently

The charter amendment ballot measure approved Tuesday would avoid that result and restore the inadvertently repealed funding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

"Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of intended backswing on fifth hole," said Grant Moir, the R&A's executive director, governance.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Just a couple of days before that now-infamous blog post, the firm inadvertently provided a different, no-less-perfect example of the perils of mass digitization.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

And by avoiding the title “teacher,” the models can inadvertently minimize the profession, he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

As an example of this, Miss Trixie, our Earth Mother of the world of commerce, inadvertently set flame to some important orders in the process of lighting a heater.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• negligently
• recklessly