Word
unintentional
Phoneticsun·in·ten·tion·al, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌənɪnˈtɛnʃənəɫ/
UK/ˌʌnɪntˈɛnʃənəl/
Definition
adj. done or happening by accident, not because you planned it. You use this to describe mistakes or surprises that you did not mean to cause.
adj. not done with purpose or intent; occurring without deliberate planning. Often used to qualify negative outcomes or errors to mitigate blame.
Examples
“I am sorry for the unintentional mistake on the report.”
“The comedian's joke caused some unintentional offense among the audience members who took it literally.”
“While the policy change was designed to improve efficiency, it had the unintentional consequence of alienating the company's most loyal long-term clients.”
Examples
simple
“I am sorry for the unintentional mistake on the report.”
contextual
“The comedian's joke caused some unintentional offense among the audience members who took it literally.”
complex
“While the policy change was designed to improve efficiency, it had the unintentional consequence of alienating the company's most loyal long-term clients.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; often paired with words like 'mistake', 'harm', or 'consequence'.
Real-World Examples
“Engineers identified the unintentional opening of a vent valve and a loss of attitude control as the cause of the failure.” “They often explained what happened, stressed that the offense was unintentional or used impersonal phrases such as " se me olvidó " (which roughly translates as "it slipped my mind").” Etymology
From un- + intentional.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unintentional