Word
unintended
Phoneticsun·in·tend·ed
US/ˌənɪnˈtɛndɪd/
UK/ˌʌnɪntˈɛndɪd/
Definition
adj. happening by accident rather than on purpose. You use this to describe results or effects that you did not plan for.
adj. not planned or meant to happen; occurring without deliberate intent. Often used to describe secondary consequences or side effects.
Examples
“The new law had several unintended effects on the economy.”
“While the software update fixed the security bug, it caused an unintended crash in the messaging system.”
“Economists often study the unintended consequences of policy changes, where a well-meaning intervention in one sector inadvertently creates a crisis in another due to complex market interdependencies.”
Examples
simple
“The new law had several unintended effects on the economy.”
contextual
“While the software update fixed the security bug, it caused an unintended crash in the messaging system.”
complex
“Economists often study the unintended consequences of policy changes, where a well-meaning intervention in one sector inadvertently creates a crisis in another due to complex market interdependencies.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; often pairs with 'consequences', 'effects', or 'results'.
Real-World Examples
“Pushback from the fisheries industry was enough for Canada to alter its counter-tariffs by removing dozens of seafood items to avoid unintended consequences to its own economy.” “The treatment works, but it can still produce an unintended effect.” Etymology
From un- + intended.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/unintended