unintentional
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unintentional
First recorded in 1775–85; un- 1 + intentional
Explanation
If an action is lacking a specific intent or plan, it can be described as unintentional. If you didn't mean to burp during Thanksgiving dinner, it was unintentional. If you grow an unintentional watermelon plant in your yard, it means you didn't plant it on purpose. It may be an unintentional result of last month's epic watermelon seed spitting contest. A little boy might cut his own hair into an unintentional Mohawk, and your wrong turn in an unfamiliar city might result in an unintentional visit to the zoo. The root word is the Latin intentionem, "a stretching out, straining, exertion, or effort," plus the prefix un, or "not."
Vocabulary lists containing unintentional
Power Prefix: un-
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: un-
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un-
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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.
Skydance is a poetic term with some definite “Star Wars” overtones and perhaps unintentional symbolism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
A new California law will narrow the laundry list of food date labels on products to two, eliminating consumer confusion and halting the unintentional food waste that has resulted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Bycatch – the unintentional capture of non-target species – is causing increasing concern to conservationists.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
But it can remove unintentional penalties — and acknowledge realities millions of families already face.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
A spokesman for the Beretta company called this unlikely because the gun’s double-action trigger was designed to prevent unintentional firing.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
