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 Whereas these reasons are indeed objectives, there are other reasons that are unintended consequences of the industry’s fragmented structure. William Mullane, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024 Tennis pro Andy Roddick is talking about an unintended consequence of his tennis career: skin cancer. Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 10 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 17 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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