accidentally

adverb

Definition of accidentallynext
as in inadvertently

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 accidentally The investigation revealed Damarion accidentally shot Jonah inside the residence, per the three outlets. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 After the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during take off, killing all seven crewmembers on board, a lighthearted movie about five kids accidentally heading into orbit suddenly seemed rather less appealing. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 27 June 2026 That case started last April, when girl who attends Los Lomas High School accidentally ingested a significant cannabis dose when another student gave her a sandwich but failed to inform her it was laced with the drug, authorities said. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 Initially on Thursday, Newburyport officials said 60,000 gallons of wastewater were accidentally dumped into the river in Haverhill, which is upstream. — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for accidentally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accidentally
  1. inadvertently
  2. unintentionally
  3. unwittingly
  4. unconsciously
  5. fortuitously
  6. carelessly
  7. casually
Adverb
  • The article identifies five common phrases leaders use that inadvertently damage morale.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • The company is worried that outputs from rival models could inadvertently seep into its own training data, a practice known as distillation that may violate Claude and Codex usage agreements.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of inadvertently
Adverb
  • But the ball unintentionally touched multiple players before, and a slight head touch led to the ruling.
    — Alex Connor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The organization says roughly half of those deaths occur after a parent or caregiver unintentionally leaves a child inside a vehicle.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of unintentionally
Adverb
  • Over the ensuing centuries, well-meaning conservators applied glue to prevent paint from flaking away, unwittingly speeding the frescoes’ deterioration.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 June 2026
  • But most canoeists unwittingly pass right over them.
    — Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026
Definition of unwittingly
Adverb
  • Psychologists Elaine Hatfield, John Cacioppo and Richard Rapson described a process called emotional contagion, in which emotional states are unconsciously transmitted between people.
    — James Davis, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • When ear met in 2024 at transfer student orientation at Bard, both were emerging from their own antisocial caves, unconsciously looking for their other half.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026
Definition of unconsciously
Adverb
  • Dean Fleischer Camp directed the film, which was originally meant to stream on Disney+, but fortuitously, things changed and, in 2024, the film was given a theatrical release.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 June 2026
  • Some folks in the band’s organization initially wanted to partner with a big beer company, but fortuitously, somebody countered idea with Dogfish Head.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2026
Definition of fortuitously
Adverb
  • Officials said activities connected to people ‒ from fireworks to carelessly discarded cigarettes ‒ have sparked 75% of wildfires in Utah in 2026.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • Under a new Douglas County ordinance, illegally operating an OHV, driving one carelessly or recklessly, and not wearing a helmet if under 18 could land you with up to a $1,000 fine.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Definition of carelessly
Adverb
  • Nimin High-Waisted Trousers This trouser option comes in short lengths and can be worn casually with comfy sneakers for brunch, or dressed up with a blouse for the office.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • The actress arrived at the stadium sporting tight curls and a red tracksuit, while Swift opted for an all-black ensemble, with a red jacket–which showed her support for the Kansas City Chiefs–casually draped over her shoulders.
    — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 4 July 2026
Definition of casually

Browse Nearby Words

accidental
accidentally
accidents
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on accidentally

Nglish: Translation of accidentally for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All