UNINTENTIONALLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

unintentionally

adverb

as in inadvertently

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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 unintentionally There are so many organizations working to protect the voting process -- including many that cannot legally coordinate with each other -- that some officials involved worry about unintentionally creating chaos outside polling locations. — Steve Peoples, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 There are so many organizations working to protect the voting process — including many that cannot legally coordinate with each other — that some officials involved worry about unintentionally creating chaos outside polling locations. — Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 Seniors who fell asleep unintentionally had a 39% higher risk, while shorter naps were also linked to poorer outcomes. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The Fresh Prince comment referred, unintentionally or not, to the infamous 2022 Oscar-night moment when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face after the latter made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026 Dispose of Fall Decorations Seasonal decor like pumpkins and gourds also unintentionally invite an infestation of creepy crawlers. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026 Transformation scenes can be unintentionally laughable, and no one has fully figured out how to make a wolf-human hybrid look less like a fall-season impulse buy at Home Depot and more like a terrifically terrifying beast. — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 As for the crack, well, that happened by accident when heavy equipment punched through a concrete wall and unintentionally punctured the sphere, company officials told The Mountaineer. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026 These, um, freethinkers were unintentionally encouraged by what eventually became the airport's art program. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintentionally

Adverb

Coogan would inadvertently set the template for those following in his wake.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
These parasites primarily infest the eyes of cats and dogs but can sometimes make their way into human eyes inadvertently.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of inadvertently

Adverb

Investigators determined that the child accidentally ingested drugs left in an unlocked room.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
But because nothing can be easy for the Azul V’s Charlie Brown, Sen accidentally drops the harness that attaches the Jet Ski to the crane in the water.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of accidentally

Adverb

She’s unwittingly caught between two different factions seeking to exploit her immense power—her new bestie, Emmaline, and Adelaide’s group—plus another group that seems intent on killing Carrie and others like her.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
By needlessly politicizing air traffic control, both parties unwittingly make the case for privatization.

— Editorial Board, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of unwittingly

Adverb

If presented with something to grip, even unconsciously, many jaws will.

— Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Our brain makes these predictions both consciously and unconsciously, relying on past sensory and physical experience to run the odds.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of unconsciously

Adverb

And, fortuitously for would-be sponsors, something happened in tennis that made these arrangements even more appealing.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The earnings announcement was fortuitously timed, coming just as reports were surfacing of high-level OpenAI employees joining the company.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of fortuitously

Adverb

Neither phone should be used carelessly at the beach, but that higher dust rating offers a little more peace of mind.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Combine them carelessly and you either gold-plate the commercial layer or under-build the safety-critical one.

— Stephen Farrugia, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of carelessly

Adverb

Place names that are changed arbitrarily and without due process should not be recognized by the international community.

— Reuben Rose-Redwood, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
The judge said the school board inserted its own opinions into the decision, and thus acted arbitrarily and illegally.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of arbitrarily

Browse Nearby Words

unintentional

unintentionally

uninterested

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“Unintentionally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintentionally. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unintentionally

adverb

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