inadvertence
Lapse of attention
Inadvertence is lack of attention or care—failing to notice something or acting without deliberate intention.
The word describes an oversight or slip rather than willful neglect: Through inadvertence, the clause was omitted from the contract.
An inadvertence is also an instance of such carelessness: a minor inadvertence that had major consequences.
Inattention causing mistakes
- neglectFailure to provide care
- heedlessnessFailure to notice danger
- inattentionLack of focus
- remissnessCulpable lack of care
laxity · dereliction · slackness · disregard · thoughtlessness · unmindfulness · incaution · imprudence
Foolish, costly mistake
- slipMinor error or misstep
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
- gaffeClumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
misstep · oversight · error · miscalculation · misjudgment · flub · goof · botch
Thing diverting one's attention
- absentmindednessLack of attention to surroundings
- preoccupationAbsorbing mental focus
- obliviousnessLack of awareness
- woolgatheringAbsent-minded indulgence in fantasy
daydreaming · reverie · abstraction · inattentiveness · unfocus · absent-mindedness · mental lapse
Unintended harmful event
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
- happenstanceUnplanned circumstance
- inadvertencyUnintentional error or neglect
- involuntarinessQuality of being uncontrolled
unintendedness · fortuitousness · coincidence · fluke · serendipity
carelessness
Inattention causing mistakes
- neglectFailure to provide care
- heedlessnessFailure to notice danger
- inattentionLack of focus
remissness · laxity · dereliction · slackness · disregard · thoughtlessness · unmindfulness · incaution · imprudence · recklessness
blunder
Foolish, costly mistake
faux pas · misstep · oversight · error · miscalculation · misjudgment · flub · goof · botch · bungle
distraction
Thing diverting one's attention
- absentmindednessLack of attention to surroundings
- preoccupationAbsorbing mental focus
- obliviousnessLack of awareness
woolgathering · daydreaming · reverie · abstraction · inattentiveness · unfocus · absent-mindedness · mental lapse
accident
Unintended harmful event
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
- happenstanceUnplanned circumstance
- inadvertencyUnintentional error or neglect
involuntariness · unintendedness · fortuitousness · coincidence · fluke · serendipity
oversight
Supervision or inadvertent omission
lacuna · miss · elision · deletion · blank · failure · neglect · leaving out · passing over · forgetting
- human flawsmistake, error, flaw, fault, failing
- negligenceneglect, gross negligence, criminal negligence, medical negligence, negligence
- faultfault, gross negligence, culpa, criminal negligence, recklessness
- accidentsaccident, car accident, bike accident, mishap, traffic accident
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
- inattentiondistracted, spacing, absent-minded, distraction, obliviousness
inadvertenceattention
Focused mental awareness
attentiveness · heedfulness · mindfulness · vigilance · care
inadvertencedeliberateness
Careful intention in action
intentionality · purposefulness · deliberation · premeditation · volition