unintentional

[ uhn-in-ten-shuh-nl ]

adjective

1. not intentional or deliberate:

   an unintentional omission from the list.

   Synonyms: inadvertent, accidental

   Antonyms: planned, intentional

unintentional

/ ˌʌnɪnˈtɛnʃənəl /

adjective

1. not deliberate; accidental

   the killing had been unintentional

Derived Forms

• ˌuninˈtentionally, adverb

Other Words From

• un·in·ten·tion·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unintentional¹

First recorded in 1775–85; un- ¹ + intentional

Example Sentences

When violations are found to be unintentional, each one could result in a $2,500 fine.

From Digiday

Wherever the blame lies, and however intentional or unintentional the offending acts, these cases remind us of the enduring presence of performance-enhancing and illegal substances in sports.

From Ozy

Charlie and Harry Davies-Carr were just babies—one and three years old—when they became unintentional internet superstars.

From Time

All of those measures would likely have the unintentional benefit of helping to reduce emissions.

From Time

Cindy McCain’s memoir, released today, is both a predictable layer on top of that existing family lore and perhaps an unintentional moment of coloring outside the lines.

From Time

Witnesses also make unintentional errors sometimes based on what they have heard from others.

From The Daily Beast

If nothing else, it is should provide a lot of unintentional hilarity.

From The Daily Beast

Tvert says there are always cases of people using alcohol and other substances and suffering from unintentional injuries.

From The Daily Beast

He laughs at the unintentional contradiction of that statement.

From The Daily Beast

Weiner could have the series end on an “ambiguous note” for audiences, even though it may be unintentional.

From The Daily Beast

If I have been in fault, God knows that I have erred through ignorance, that it was wholly unintentional on my part.

From Project Gutenberg

One day, on Ludgate hill, a porter passing him was nearly pushed off the pavement by an unintentional motion of the doctor.

From Project Gutenberg

Slowly, and with an unintentional solemnity, she went up to it and laid a hand upon it.

From Project Gutenberg

The display, intentional or unintentional, of this article of feminine attire sufficed to arouse in me sexual feelings.

From Project Gutenberg

We gather ideas about them everywhere, and in the most unexpected and unintentional places.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accidental
• inadvertent
• involuntary
• random
• unexpected
• unforeseen
• unintended
• unplanned