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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Power Prefix: 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.
There is no social contract requiring aunts and uncles to divide their estates equally among their nieces and nephews, but unequal inheritances can still pack an unintentional emotional punch.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
"There can be genuine exclusion even if it's unintentional," says Prof Bola Grace from University College London.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
Meanwhile, the night’s theme — “Costume Art” — has onlookers concerned that the Met Gala might be teetering into unintentional self-parody.
From Salon • May 5, 2026
A 2025 internal document spotlighted YouTube’s “two biggest challenges” for teen well-being: low-quality recommendations that can “normalize unhealthy beliefs” and “prolonged unintentional use.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Imagine not being able to figure out later if the thought in your head is really yours or an unintentional keepsake from someone else’s mind.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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.
