accident

American  

[ak-si-duhnt] / ˈæk sɪ dənt /

noun

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

• postaccident
  adjective

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

"The whole effect was discovered by accident," explains Brian Wong, a professor and surgeon at the University of California, Irvine.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

We believe none of this is by accident.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

Authorities said there was no hope of finding more survivors of the Tuesday accident at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Volunteers from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue had to reassure the friends it was a "really tragic accident".

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Smithy would have insisted that it was an accident, but how could that be if I had been the reason it happened?

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

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