accident

American  

[ak-si-duhnt] / ˈæk sɪ dənt /

noun

accidents plural

1. an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap.

   automobile accidents.

   Synonyms:

   disaster, contingency, misadventure, misfortune, mischance

2. Law. such a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.

3. any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause.

4. chance; fortune; luck.

   I was there by accident.

   Antonyms:

   intent, design

5. a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic.

   an accident of birth.

6. Philosophy. any entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else.

7. Geology. a surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.

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accident British  

/ ˈæksɪdənt /

noun

1. an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause

2. anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance; chance; fortune

   I met him by accident

3. a misfortune or mishap, esp one causing injury or death

4. Also called: adjunct.  logic philosophy a nonessential attribute or characteristic of something (as opposed to substance)

5. metaphysics a property as contrasted with the substance in which it inheres

6. geology a surface irregularity in a natural formation, esp in a rock formation or a river system

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postaccident
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accidents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of accident

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin accident-, stem of accidēns “happening,” present participle of accidere “to befall, happen,” from ac- ac- + -cidere, combining form of cadere “to fall”

Explanation

An accident is an unfortunate event. By their very nature, accidents are not planned. Rear-ending the car ahead of you, spilling milk, losing your footing on an icy sidewalk — all of these are considered accidents. You will most often hear people use accident to describe an unfortunate mistake, like swerving into oncoming traffic or making a sloppy calculation. However, an accident could have a positive outcome as well: "The invention of the chocolate chip cookie was a happy accident, occurring when the cook decided to add the chopped chocolate to the batter without melting it first."

Example Sentences

And it’s not by accident that coastal habitats are aggressively protected and most of the shoreline is free of mega resorts and architectural clutter.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2026

In 2023, Destiny Byassee, a 22-year-old mother in Florida, died after the air bag in her Chevrolet Malibu exploded during a crash, a police officer who investigated the accident told the NHTSA.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

"The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and... those responsible must be strictly held accountable," Xi said, in remarks carried by Xinhua.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

This car was brought in following a relatively minor accident, and Harrowell points to a few scratches and scrapes on the protective casing of the battery underneath the car.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

But in the event of a nuclear accident, people who may be exposed to iodine 131 can take potassium iodide tablets, which provide enough non-radioactive iodine 127 to saturate the thyroid.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• calamity
• casualty
• disaster
• hazard
• mishap
• pileup
• setback