accidental

adjective

ˌak-sə-ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce accidental (audio)
Definition of accidentalnext
1
as in chance
happening by chance finding the gold was all the more remarkable because its discovery was entirely accidental

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irrelevant
not being a vital part of or belonging to something we're considering the painting's merit as a work of art, its commercial value being entirely accidental as far as we're concerned

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective accidental differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of accidental are casual, contingent, and fortuitous. While all these words mean "not amenable to planning or prediction," accidental stresses chance.

any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental

When might casual be a better fit than accidental?

In some situations, the words casual and accidental are roughly equivalent. However, casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent.

a casual encounter with a stranger

When is it sensible to use contingent instead of accidental?

While in some cases nearly identical to accidental, contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence.

the contingent effects of the proposed law

When can fortuitous be used instead of accidental?

While the synonyms fortuitous and accidental are close in meaning, fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause.

a series of fortuitous events

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 accidental The accidental president, Gerald Ford, was in the White House. — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2026 Once locked, the mechanical safety structure helps reduce the risk of accidental detachment. — New Atlas, 3 July 2026 Chomentowski lost her son in 2020 to an accidental drug overdose. — Brianna Wallen, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026 Hadid was later photographed heading to Madison Square Garden with Bradley Cooper, making the unusually on-theme name feel considerably less accidental. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for accidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accidental
  1. inadvertent
  2. irrelevant
  3. unexpected
  4. external
  5. unintentional
  6. adventitious
  7. incidental
  8. extrinsic
Adjective
  • Only a few minutes earlier, Abulaila endured an inadvertent slap to his throat by Arnautovic on a pass into the box.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
  • However, after Monday's inadvertent alarm, the office is looking at that policy.
    — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Definition of inadvertent
Adjective
  • Horowitz said Lunas Campos’ criminal history is irrelevant to his detention.
    — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026
  • The Fan Footage Is What Counts Your concert experience is almost irrelevant.
    — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 3 July 2026
Definition of irrelevant
Adjective
  • Artisan Market Thoughtful, small-batch cookies made with intention and inspired by unexpected flavors.
    — RS Editors, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2026
  • And while many know Mariska Hargitay from her decades-long run on Law & Order or as one of the Knicks' biggest hype women, she can also be considered among fashion's unexpected trendsetters.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 2 July 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • If internal promotion rates fall and companies lean harder on external senior hires who do not yet exist in sufficient numbers, the warnings from Cortez, DDI, and Korn Ferry will have been correct.
    — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Meta is also working to cut its ballooning AI spending by reducing reliance on costly external tools.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of external
Adjective
  • Between 15,000 and 22,000 Americans died each year from unintentional injuries at work, home and in transportation, per NCHS.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Yet alcohol contributes to millions of deaths globally each year and is linked to cancer, liver disease, unintentional accidents, violence and, importantly, dependence and addiction.
    — Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of unintentional
Adjective
  • Although individual plants have a lifespan of 30-90 years, adventitious shoots grow up from roots.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 July 2025
  • The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker.
    — Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024
Definition of adventitious
Adjective
  • American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • There are certainly questions both about the final decision reached by match referee Rafael Claus in sending off Balogun for his incidental-looking stamp on Tarik Muharemović’s ankle, and the mechanisms used to reach it.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of incidental
Adjective
  • Anyone that wanted to reserve time in the July 19 final was beholden to a full-tourney pledge of as much as $30 million, although your mileage will vary based on any number of extrinsic variables.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
  • That authorization was broad and encompassed Gastineau’s name and likeness as reflected in extrinsic footage, such as that of the encounter with Favre.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of extrinsic

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Accidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accidental. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on accidental

Nglish: Translation of accidental for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about accidental

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