Unintended: meaning, definitions and examples

Situations where something occurs without being planned or desired, often used in legal or formal contexts.

• The unintended consequences of the new law were significant
• Despite their best efforts, the project had some unintended side effects

Situations where something happens by chance, often involving mishaps or minor incidents.

• He spilled the coffee by accidental
• The discovery of penicillin was accidental

Situations where something happens without being previously arranged or prepared, often used in casual or conversational contexts.

• Our meeting was completely unplanned
• The unplanned trip turned out to be a wonderful adventure

Occurrences that happen due to lack of attention or care, often used in formal or technical language.

• Her harsh comment was inadvertent
• The error was the result of inadvertent oversight