Unintentionally
/ˌʌnɪnˈtɛnʃənəli/
Definitions
In a way that is not planned or deliberate; accidentally.
/ˌʌnɪnˈtɛnʃənəli/
Without deliberate purpose or planning
I accidentally deleted the file unintentionally.
💡 Simply: Imagine you bump into someone and spill their coffee. If you did it on purpose, it's bad. But if it was an accident, you did it *unintentionally*. It means you didn't mean to do it!
👶 For kids: When you do something by accident and not on purpose.
More Examples
He broke the vase unintentionally while playing.
The advertisement may unintentionally mislead customers.
How It's Used
"He unintentionally offended her with his blunt comment."
"The damage was caused unintentionally, which lessened the severity of the penalty."
From 'un-' (not) + 'intentionally' (with intent). 'Intentionally' comes from 'intention,' which is from the Latin 'intendere' (to aim at).
The use of 'unintentionally' has been consistent since its emergence in the 17th century, reflecting increasing emphasis on the motivations behind actions.
Memory tip
Think of 'intention' – the opposite is 'unintentionally'. So it means something happened without you meaning for it to.