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 This loss of balance can lead to unintentional falls, one of the leading causes of injury in older adults. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024 There could be inherent and unintentional gender biases in systems, and since AI works with the available data, these already-existent prejudices may come into play. Punnam Raju Manthena, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 There were at least 36 unintentional shootings by children in Texas in 2023, according to Everytown. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2024 Many sea lion pups have died because of human interference, such as separating pups when their mothers are getting food by crowding around them, forming unintentional blockades, Jack reports. Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unintentional 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unintentional.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unintentional was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near unintentional

Cite this Entry

“Unintentional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintentional. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on unintentional

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