accidentally
Americanadverb
-
by chance or mistake; in a way that is not planned or intended.
If you break your key, whether accidentally or on purpose, there is a $40 charge to replace it.
-
in a nonessential or subsidiary way; incidentally.
Philosophy is essentially a vocation, and only accidentally a profession.
Usage
Spelling tips for accidentally The word accidentally is hard to spell because it can be hard to remember which letters are doubled and which are not. To add to the confusion, there are two possible spellings of accidentally. While less common, accidently is also an acceptable spelling of the word.How to spell accidentally: It's no accident that many animals have two eyes to see (C) And two ears to Listen (L). This reminds you that the letters c and l are doubled in accidentally, with an a in between.
Other Word Forms
- nonaccidentally adverb
- preaccidentally adverb
- pseudoaccidentally adverb
- quasi-accidentally adverb
- unaccidentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of accidentally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is not clear whether that animal was accidentally caught in fishing gear, or if it was targeted.
From BBC
The Chiefs moving from one Kansas City to the other brought to my mind that “Beverly Hillbillies” scene where Jed Clampett accidentally strikes oil, instantly making a millionaire of the poor mountaineer.
Most of these slayer rules, including California’s, apply only to “felonious and intentional” killings, meaning that they don’t apply if you accidentally kill someone.
From Salon
Waymo also sparked a media frenzy when one of its cars accidentally killed a beloved bodega cat in San Francisco, which was reignited when a robotaxi ran over a small dog some weeks later.
From MarketWatch
At the end of the shoot, someone from Lower’s team accidentally stepped on the mirror, shattering it.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
