unintentionally
/ˌʌnɪnˈtenʃənəli/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌnɪntˈɛnʃənəli] /ˌʌnɪnˈtenʃənəli/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌʌnɪntˈɛnʃənəli] /ˌən-in-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce unintentional (audio)/ (ame, mw)
unintentionally — adverb
1. in a manner that is not intended or planned, often with a result the person did
in a manner that is not intended or planned, often with a result the person did not hope for or foresee
Mei-Lin unintentionally deleted her supervisor's email while trying to move it to a different folder.
unintentionally + verb of accidental action
A strong gust of wind unintentionally blew the children's kites together and they became tangled.
During the cooking class, Kwame unintentionally added salt instead of sugar to the cake mixture.
The journalist later apologised for the error, saying she had unintentionally misquoted the mayor.
Chidi's comment about the project budget unintentionally offended several members of the team.
- accidentally
more neutral; focuses on chance rather than lack of planning
- inadvertently
more formal; suggests lack of attention rather than lack of intention
- unconsciously
suggests the person was not aware of their own action at all
- intentionally
with clear purpose and planning
- deliberately
with full awareness and decision
- on purpose
colloquial equivalent of intentionally
文法句型
unintentionally + verb
用法筆記
Often pairs with verbs describing mistakes or accidental effects: delete, offend, misquote, mislead, mispronounce. The subject is usually a person, but can also be a force of nature or an organisation.
常見錯誤
unintentionally — adjective
- unintentionallypositive
- more unintentionallycomparative
- most unintentionallysuperlative
1. happening or done without being intended or planned, often producing a result th
happening or done without being intended or planned, often producing a result that nobody expected or wanted
Ana's unintentional joke about the broken printer made everyone in the office laugh nervously.
unintentional + noun (result of accident)
Even an unintentional slight delay in replying to a customer can reduce satisfaction.
When the librarian dropped the stack of books, the loud crash was completely unintentional.
Pablo's unintentional imitation of the teacher's accent drew giggles from the other students.
- accidental
more common in everyday speech; strongly suggests chance
- inadvertent
more formal; emphasises lack of attention rather than lack of planning
- unplanned
broader; can describe any event not part of a plan, whether good or bad
- intentional
done with clear purpose
- deliberate
done with careful thought and decision
- planned
arranged in advance
文法句型
unintentional + noun
be + unintentional
用法筆記
Most common before nouns describing effects or consequences (remark, consequence, result, effect). Not used with people directly — you would not say 'an unintentional person'.