inadvertently
Americanadverb
-
unintentionally; without meaning to.
I apologize to anyone I have inadvertently left off this list.
-
through lack of attention; without anyone noticing.
There is the potential for one set of rules to inadvertently replace another.
Etymology
Origin of inadvertently
Explanation
Inadvertently is an adverb that means "without knowledge or intent," like when you inadvertently take someone else's coat from the coatroom because it looks just like yours. When you do something inadvertently, you don't mean to do it — you might inadvertently step in a puddle, leave something important at home, or hurt your friend's feelings. Some things that happen inadvertently aren't mistakes, though: They happen by chance. For example, if you just happen to park your car at the exact place that blocks a bus from hitting a pedestrian, you've inadvertently saved a life.
Vocabulary lists containing inadvertently
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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.
A “gamma squeeze” happens when aggressive buying of bullish call options creates a self-fulfilling feedback loop, with market makers inadvertently pushing the value of the underlying asset higher while scrambling to hedge their positions.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026
On the other, they might inadvertently bring in a disease or bacteria.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
By discarding more of the increases, the Dallas Fed index inadvertently understated the upward trend in inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
We’ve become so enamored by this void that we inadvertently trapped ourselves inside of it, mourning the past that slipped away before we had a chance to say goodbye.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
A migrant, moving from car to car, can inadvertently step on the pressurized brake line that runs the length of the train.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
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.
