ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
1
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
2
as in spontaneous
not made or done willingly or by choice
an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unintentional
In Philadelphia, the leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer and unintentional drug overdose.
—
Sarah Bauerle Bass, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
Louisiana had the highest rate of unintentional shootings by children between 2015 to 2022, according to the research arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for stricter gun access.
—Tribune News Service, Twin Cities, 21 June 2025
For Mattel, a bigger legal threat forcing responsible design and appropriate content filtering may come from any unintentional copyright issues arising from using OpenAI models trained on a wide range of intellectual property.
—ArsTechnica, 17 June 2025
When Novak Djokovic performed the unintentional splits against Flavio Cobolli on match point in his Wimbledon quarterfinal, the All England Club executives must have been wincing as the crowd held their breath.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Sarah Bauerle Bass, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
Louisiana had the highest rate of unintentional shootings by children between 2015 to 2022, according to the research arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for stricter gun access.
—Tribune News Service, Twin Cities, 21 June 2025
For Mattel, a bigger legal threat forcing responsible design and appropriate content filtering may come from any unintentional copyright issues arising from using OpenAI models trained on a wide range of intellectual property.
—ArsTechnica, 17 June 2025
When Novak Djokovic performed the unintentional splits against Flavio Cobolli on match point in his Wimbledon quarterfinal, the All England Club executives must have been wincing as the crowd held their breath.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintentional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentional
Adjective
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The lawsuit also indicates the medical examiner initially ruled the deaths as accidental, but the manner of death was changed in January 2013 to homicide based on a jail informant's uncorroborated statement to police.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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Because many multivitamins contain these nutrients, check labels to avoid accidental overconsumption.—
Patricia Weiser,
Verywell Health,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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The demanding executive might uncover a passion for art; the strategic planner might embrace spontaneous adventure.—
Lorraine Wiseman,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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First described in 2021, Marbach-Schaaf Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a spontaneous (non-inherited) mutation in the PRKAR1B gene.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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The restaurant industry depends on immigrants to do jobs others are often unwilling to do, Chucri said.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
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Lacking clear guidance on what constitutes acceptable use of AI, more than half are unwilling to admit using AI at work.—
Anjali Chaudhry,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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But there are worries that wiping out mosquitoes could have unintended consequences for ecosystems - for example by removing a food source for birds and bats.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
23 July 2025
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Republicans are treading carefully, amid warnings that the controversial move – lumping reliably red voters into Democratic districts in order to shift election outcomes – could come with the unintended consequence of endangering incumbents in formerly safe districts.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentional. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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