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

England's Liam Highfield, 35, only returned to the World Snooker Tour last year after he suffered a broken wrist in an e-scooter accident in 2023.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Early debates confirm that this was no accident.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

She also lost her son in a car accident in November 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

But every once in a while, we get a little wink, an ounce of good luck, an unearned gift, a happy accident, and this recipe falls in that category.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

The nuclear reactors were encased in containment vessels that kept most of the radiation from escaping in case of an accident.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

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