unintended
Happening by chance
Unintended describes something not planned or meant to happen.
An unintended consequence is a result that wasn't foreseen or desired.
Unintended pregnancy occurs without planning.
The word emphasizes absence of intent rather than accident—the action may have been deliberate, but this particular outcome wasn't: The policy had unintended effects on small businesses.
Done without intention
- unintentionalNot done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
unpremeditated · accidental · unmeant · unconscious · instinctive · reflexive · automatic · unthinking
Unintended secondary outcome
- byproductSecondary outcome of production
- repercussionIndirect result of action
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
aftermath · spillover · blowback · backfire · collateral · externality · knock-on · complication
Supervision or inadvertent omission
- errorFault in communication
- slipMinor error or misstep
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- misstepError in action or judgment
gaffe · miscalculation · omission · flaw · lapse · negligence · carelessness · misjudgment
Not predicted or expected
- unanticipatedNot predicted beforehand
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- unlooked-forNot anticipated or foreseen
- unpredictedNot foretold or anticipated
chance · fortuitous · serendipitous · coincidental · random · fluke · happenstance · anomaly
inadvertent
Done without intention
- unintentionalNot done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
unplanned · unpremeditated · accidental · unmeant · unconscious · instinctive · reflexive · automatic · unthinking · knee-jerk
side-effect
Unintended secondary outcome
- byproductSecondary outcome of production
- repercussionIndirect result of action
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
fallout · aftermath · spillover · blowback · backfire · collateral · externality · knock-on · complication
oversight
Supervision or inadvertent omission
misstep · gaffe · miscalculation · omission · flaw · lapse · negligence · carelessness · misjudgment · accident
unforeseen
Not predicted or expected
- unanticipatedNot predicted beforehand
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- unlooked-forNot anticipated or foreseen
unpredicted · chance · fortuitous · serendipitous · coincidental · random · fluke · happenstance · anomaly · freak
- accidentsaccident, car accident, bike accident, mishap, traffic accident
- intensitieshigh, low, strong, weak, intense
unintendedintended
Planned or purposed
intentional · deliberate · planned · premeditated · calculated
unintendedexpected
Regarded as likely
anticipated · foreseen · predicted · planned · predetermined
- unintended consequencesUnanticipated outcomes of actions
- unintended pregnancyConception occurring without planning
- law of unintended consequencesOutcomes differ from intentions
- unintended outcomeResult not aimed for
intend, intent, intention, intended, intentional, intentionally, intends, intentionality