UNINTENTIONAL Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

unintentional

adjective

ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl

Definition of unintentional

as in accidental

happening by chance an unintentional encounter with an old classmate at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in spontaneous

not made or done willingly or by choice an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unintentional But that name change amounted to an unintentional violation of GoFundMe terms, according to the daughter. — David K. Li, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026 Most of the killers — heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries top the list — remained unchanged from 2023. — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 22 Sep. 2026 The filings say that the state offered Taylor 234 months in prison for pleading guilty to one count of second-degree unintentional murder. — Aki Nace, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026 Disposing of unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs is important to protect children and teens from accidental or unintentional exposure. — Sunny Linnebur, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unintentional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentional

Adjective

The task for the printmakers, led by Erik Hougen, Jeremy Ruiz, and Tom Smith, was to reproduce the jottings, corrections, and accidental smears on Safdie’s notecard as faithfully as possible, and also to scale it up in size.

— Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Good news for Boeing, but could this accidental monopoly be a potential disaster waiting to happen?

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of accidental

Adjective

Harris also helped shape the movie’s imagination sequences, pushing Pixar’s artists toward more spontaneous, painterly images rather than the studio’s usual meticulous realism.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Johnson’s initial connection with EY CEO and Global Chair Janet Truncale was a spontaneous one.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of spontaneous

Adjective

And as robotaxis continue to spread to new cities, local officials are discovering more unintended consequences of their new robot residents, leading to even more rules and an ever-growing patchwork of complexity for operators.

— Andrew Hawkins, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026
Aside from spreading fear and anxiety through the agricultural labor force — which might be the point, if the hope is many will self-deport — the surge is having some other bizarre and probably unintended consequences.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of unintended

Browse Nearby Words

unintended

unintentional

unintentionally

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“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentional. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unintentional

adjective

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