1
as in chance
happening by chance
finding the gold was all the more remarkable because its discovery was entirely accidental
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irrelevant
not being a vital part of or belonging to something
we're considering the painting's merit as a work of art, its commercial value being entirely accidental as far as we're concerned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 accidental
The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the actress's cause of death was drowning, and the manner was accidental.
—
Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2025
The singer died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl in April 2016.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
Whatever cards she’s dealt—not least professional humiliation and an accidental pregnancy (paternity unclear, thanks to separate one-night stands and a box of expired eco-friendly condoms)—she muddles through with gusto.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
How To Die Alone followed Mel (Rothwell), a broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream, until an accidental brush with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living by any means necessary.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2025
The singer died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl in April 2016.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
Whatever cards she’s dealt—not least professional humiliation and an accidental pregnancy (paternity unclear, thanks to separate one-night stands and a box of expired eco-friendly condoms)—she muddles through with gusto.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
How To Die Alone followed Mel (Rothwell), a broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream, until an accidental brush with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living by any means necessary.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accidental
Adjective
-
That's a day where those two objects are completely irrelevant.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
-
All that’s missing from this run for Sampson is a national title, but whether that comes or not, this is a legendary stretch at a school that was a has-been, irrelevant in the sport with no sign of hope.—
CJ Moore,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The plot follows the titular character’s inadvertent entanglement in a high-stakes espionage caper.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2025
-
That was the Malachi Flynn team of 2019-20 that went 30-2 before the NCAA Tournament was scrapped because of the pandemic (and also had a 17-2 run when Nevada’s only basket was an inadvertent tip-in by an Aztecs player).—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Schneider doesn’t have much history of spending big on external free-agent guards, and Ethan Pocic is the only interior lineman he’s drafted in the first two rounds (James Carpenter, Germain Ifedi and Justin Britt were selected to play tackle).—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The intelligent external inspection system can detect and alert defects in real time, while products are fully traceable with real-time quality monitoring throughout the production process.—
Li Jun,
WWD,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
There may be many unexpected effects of repeal that might require revision to plans and documents.—
Martin Shenkman,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Trump's unexpected rejection of the Senate's plan stunned Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who had carefully structured the two-bill strategy to secure early wins for the White House.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker.—
Mark Greif,
Harper's Magazine,
26 July 2024
-
The cut appears to have been high enough that the stump should still have enough adventitious buds to regrow.—
Jonathan Edwards,
Washington Post,
3 Oct. 2023
Adjective
-
That same year, the Beatles gave the vehicle a major, although perhaps unintentional, endorsement.—
Sarah Holzmann,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 Feb. 2025
-
Of course, the unintentional gross-out performance did nothing to stop Ferguson's Hollywood ascent.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
And that is not something extrinsic, imposed by regulation or taxation, but inherent to the way the company conceives of itself, its ownership structure, its governance, its performance metrics, its finances — everything.—
IESE Business School,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Those sensors detect the subtle vibrations that are transmitted to the extrinsic laryngeal muscles (in the neck) from other anatomical locations including the velum, oropharynx, tongue, and epiglottis.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The central plot, about two characters thrown together by circumstance, begins to feel entirely incidental and metaphorical beyond a point.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
-
These standards are uniquely burdensome for part-time rideshare drivers due to their irregular schedules and incidental participation in paratransit, making compliance nearly impossible.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to accidental
Cite this Entry
“Accidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accidental. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share