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

See Examples For:

accident accidents

But, much like a car accident on the 405 that you instinctively know you shouldn’t stare, I just can’t seem to avert my eyes from the wreck the Chargers have become.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

In “Verity,” she plays the titular character, Verity Crawford, the author of a string of hit thriller novels who’s been mysteriously incapacitated after a car accident and can’t finish her final three books.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

In 1979, an accident at a Soviet facility led to an anthrax outbreak in Sverdlovsk, Russia, now known as Yekaterinburg.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

In May 2001, a month after Monica Coghlan's death in a road accident, Archer went on trial.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Typically when they entered a new market—because they’d found some potential accident waiting to happen that seemed worth betting on—they found an expert to serve as a jungle guide.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Adidas told us both factories had "heat-management measures", that its standards "do not permit any form of harassment", and that "no electrical-related accidents" had been found in Bowker's records.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

He has encountered numerous mothers coping with the sudden death of their partner from causes such as shootings, car accidents and other unexpected events.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Famous for their rapid responses, the 3,000 members of Zaka are often the first to arrive on the scene of attacks or serious accidents and are trained to help survivors before tending to the dead.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

Staircases are a flashpoint for accidents in general.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

The agreeable nullity of Leon’s life was a polished artifact, its ease deceptive, its limitations achieved by invisible hard work and the accidents of character, none of which she could hope to rival.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Related Words

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