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accidental
/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛn.təl/
happening by chance
The meeting was an accidental encounter.
They didn't plan to meet; it happened by chance.
general
Happening by chance or unexpectedly, not planned
She made an accidental discovery while cleaning the attic.
She found something valuable unexpectedly.
Often used to describe events or actions that were not intended.
Collocations
accidental encounteran unexpected meetingaccidental damageunintended harm or destruction
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'accidental' to describe events that were not planned or intended.
Word Origin
From Latin 'accidentālis', meaning 'happening by chance'
Usage Notes
Can be used to describe both positive and negative unplanned events.
Word Breakdown
accident
an unexpected event
root-al
relating to
suffixEnglish Dictionary