accidentally

[ ak-si-den-tl-ee ]

adverb

1. by chance or mistake; in a way that is not planned or intended:

   If you break your key, whether accidentally or on purpose, there is a $40 charge to replace it.

2. in a nonessential or subsidiary way; incidentally:

   Philosophy is essentially a vocation, and only accidentally a profession.

Other Words From

• non·ac·ci·den·tal·ly adverb
• pre·ac·ci·den·tal·ly adverb
• pseu·do·ac·ci·den·tal·ly adverb
• qua·si-ac·ci·den·tal·ly adverb
• un·ac·ci·den·tal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of accidentally¹

accidental ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

A genetic mutation is like accidentally replacing one ingredient with something completely different -- for example, using sawdust instead of flour.

From Science Daily

‘The Voice’ winner Sundance Head was airlifted to a Texas hospital Friday after his pistol accidentally discharged, sending a bullet into his stomach.

From Los Angeles Times

Set in 1882 in Wyoming, Rust tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is sentenced to be hanged after he accidentally kills a rancher.

From BBC

He did not believe that either of the cables could have been damaged by ships accidentally dropping their anchors.

From New York Times

A man who accidentally binned a hard drive containing Bitcoin says it is now worth more than £500m following recent price surges.

From BBC

Related Words

• unintentionally
• unwittingly

How Do You Spell Accidentally?

Spelling tips for accidentally

The word accidentally is hard to spell because it can be hard to remember which letters are doubled and which are not. To add to the confusion, there are two possible spellings of accidentally. While less common, accidently is also an acceptable spelling of the word.

How to spell accidentally: It’s no accident that many animals have two eyes to see (C) And two ears to Listen (L). This reminds you that the letters c and l are doubled in accidentally, with an a in between.