unintentional

adjective

un·​in·​ten·​tion·​al
ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
 How to pronounce unintentional (audio)
: not done by intention or design : not intentional
an unintentional effect
causing unintentional harm/offense
unintentionally adverb
an unintentionally offensive remark

Examples of unintentional in a Sentence

an unintentional encounter with an old classmate at the mall an unintentional insult that nevertheless was very hurtful
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These new regulations are meant to reduce the chances of intentional or unintentional targeting of white sharks, which not only harms the animals but also increases public safety risks. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Swear words uttered under such circumstances are usually unintentional. David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025 In a shocking revelation, Armando Saldívar, the brother of Yolanda Saldívar, now claims that the 1995 murder of Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was unintentional. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Apr. 2025 But a loophole that legislators and advocates say was unintentional has meant that there is almost no public data about seclusion, while restraint data is more readily available. Melanie Asmar, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unintentional

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unintentional was in 1782

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Cite this Entry

“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintentional. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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