accidentally
Use Accidentally in a sentence
sɪˈdɛn adjective
1.
happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
2.
nonessential; incidental; subsidiary: accidental benefits.
3.
Music. relating to or indicating sharps, flats, or naturals.
noun
4.
a nonessential or subsidiary circumstance, characteristic, or feature.
5.
Music. a sign placed before a note indicating a chromatic alteration of its pitch.
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Accidentally
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Related forms
ac·ci·den·tal·ly, ac·ci·dent·ly, adverb
ac·ci·den·tal·ness, ac·ci·den·tal·i·ty, noun
non·ac·ci·den·tal, adjective, noun
non·ac·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
non·ac·ci·den·tal·ness, noun
pre·ac·ci·den·tal, adjective
pre·ac·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
pseu·do·ac·ci·den·tal, adjective
pseu·do·ac·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
qua·si-ac·ci·den·tal, adjective
qua·si-ac·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
un·ac·ci·den·tal, adjective
un·ac·ci·den·tal·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. unintentional, unforeseen. Accidental, casual, fortuitous all describe something outside the usual course of events. Accidental implies occurring unexpectedly or by chance: an accidental blow. Casual describes a passing event of slight importance: a casual reference. Fortuitous is applied to events occurring without known cause, often of a fortunate or favorable nature: a fortuitous shower of meteors. It often also implies good luck or good fortune: a fortuitous choice leading to rapid advancement.
1. unintentional, unforeseen. Accidental, casual, fortuitous all describe something outside the usual course of events. Accidental implies occurring unexpectedly or by chance: an accidental blow. Casual describes a passing event of slight importance: a casual reference. Fortuitous is applied to events occurring without known cause, often of a fortunate or favorable nature: a fortuitous shower of meteors. It often also implies good luck or good fortune: a fortuitous choice leading to rapid advancement.
Antonyms
1. planned, contrived.
1. planned, contrived.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To accidentally
Collins
World English Dictionary
accidental (ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | occurring by chance, unexpectedly, or unintentionally |
| 2. | nonessential; incidental |
| 3. | music denoting sharps, flats, or naturals that are not in the key signature of a piece |
| 4. | logic (of a property) not essential; contingent |
| —n | |
| 5. | an incidental, nonessential, or supplementary circumstance, factor, or attribute |
| 6. | music a symbol denoting a sharp, flat, or natural that is not a part of the key signature |
| acci'dentally | |
| —adv | |
| accidental (ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | occurring by chance, unexpectedly, or unintentionally |
| 2. | nonessential; incidental |
| 3. | music denoting sharps, flats, or naturals that are not in the key signature of a piece |
| 4. | logic (of a property) not essential; contingent |
| —n | |
| 5. | an incidental, nonessential, or supplementary circumstance, factor, or attribute |
| 6. | music a symbol denoting a sharp, flat, or natural that is not a part of the key signature |
| acci'dentally | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
accidentally
late 14c., "non-essentially," from accidental, from Fr. accidental, from M.L. accidentalis, from L. accidens (gen. accidentis); see accident. Meaning "unintentionally" is recorded from 1580s; phrase accidentally on purpose is recorded from 1862.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
He had accidentally marked the wrong major on his online admissions.
Swimming pools were fitted with ropes to allow koalas to climb out if they accidentally fall in.
If it starts to fail, the computer can crash accidentally when the power supply generates a noisy signal.
They must have accidentally been moved from another thread.
Nearby Words
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