unintended

adjective

un·​in·​tend·​ed ˌən-in-ˈten-dəd How to pronounce unintended (audio)
: not planned as a purpose or goal : not deliberate or intended
an unintended consequence/effect
an unintended pregnancy

Examples of unintended in a Sentence

backyard digging that resulted in unintended damage to buried phone wires a response that yielded an unintended insight into her personal character
Recent Examples on the Web Biden’s calculated decision-making breeds cynicism among voters and may have the unintended consequence of people staying home on Election Day. Richard Boykin, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2024 Unfortunately, this is the prevalent mindset within health care systems, and the unintended consequence is the large amount of stress and pressure placed on family caregivers. Jessica Kim, Fortune, 21 May 2024 While the reasons for the disparities are varied, education experts told USA TODAY the imbalance is part of a legacy, an unintended consequence, of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 17 May 2024 On Wednesday night, Furiosa received a seven-minute standing ovation, one that potentially could have lasted longer as Miller took the microphone to speak, which had the perhaps unintended effect of silencing the applause. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for unintended 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unintended.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unintended was in 1649

Dictionary Entries Near unintended

Cite this Entry

“Unintended.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintended. Accessed 7 Jun. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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