accidentally
Without meaning to
Accidentally means without intention or by chance—the opposite of deliberately or on purpose.
I accidentally deleted the file.
She accidentally left her phone at the restaurant.
The word often softens admissions of error or serves as a face-saving qualifier: I accidentally read your texts may suggest more intention than admitted.
Done without intention
- unintendedNot done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
unpremeditated · unconscious · mistaken · unthinking · spontaneous · reflexive · instinctive · automatic
Wrong action or decision
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- gaffeClumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- misstepError in action or judgment
goof · flub · botch · bungle · snafu · miscalculation · misjudgment · oversight
Accidental fortunate discovery
- stumble uponFind unexpectedly
- findLocate through effort
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
- discoverFind something unknown
encounter · happen upon · uncover · revelation · breakthrough · luck · fluke · windfall
inadvertent
Done without intention
- unintendedNot done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
unplanned · unpremeditated · unconscious · mistaken · unthinking · spontaneous · reflexive · instinctive · automatic · impulsive
mistake
Wrong action or decision
misstep · goof · flub · botch · bungle · snafu · miscalculation · misjudgment · oversight · lapse
serendipity
Accidental fortunate discovery
- stumble uponFind unexpectedly
- findLocate through effort
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
discover · encounter · happen upon · uncover · revelation · breakthrough · luck · fluke · windfall · coincidence
stumble
Lose footing momentarily
drop · bump · crash · collision · slip · fumble · break · shatter · scratch · dent
- -ly adverbsrandomly, unexpectedly, luckily, fortunately, coincidentally
- unintentionallyunintentionally, inadvertently, unwittingly, unknowingly, unconsciously
- without intentunintentionally, inadvertently, unwittingly, unconsciously
- adverbsquickly, slowly, very, really, now
accidentallyintentionally
By conscious choice
deliberately · on purpose · purposely · purposefully · willfully
accidentallyby design
Done with intent
according to plan · predictably · expectedly · premeditatedly · strategically
- accidentally on purposeIntentionally feigning accident
- accidental deathUnintentional fatal outcome
- accidental click
- accidental shootingUnintentional firearm injury
- accidental injuryUnplanned physical harm
- accidental damageHarm from unplanned mishaps