unintentional

/ˌʌnɪnˈtɛnʃənəl/
adjectiveIntermediate
general

Done or occurring without intention or purpose; accidental

Her unintentional comment hurt his feelings.

She didn't mean to say something that would upset him.

The damage was unintentional, caused by a technical failure.

The harm wasn't deliberate; it happened because of a system error.

💡

Often used to clarify that an action or result was not planned or deliberate.

Collocations

unintentional errora mistake that wasn't meant to happenunintentional consequencean unexpected result of an action

Synonyms

Antonyms

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'unintentional' to describe actions or results that were not planned or deliberate.

Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

While 'unintentional' is useful, avoid using it excessively when 'accidental' or 'unplanned' would suffice.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'unintentional', from 'un-' (not) + 'intentional' (done with purpose).

📝Usage Notes

Often used in legal, medical, and technical contexts to describe actions or outcomes that were not planned.

Word Breakdown

un-
not
prefix
+
intentional
done with purpose
root
English Dictionary