inadvertent
Not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning; unintentional.
Examples
In a meeting
“The data leak was inadvertent — a misconfigured permission, not malice.”
Over coffee
“My inadvertent comment about the surprise party almost ruined everything.”
Why this word
accidental
inadvertent emphasizes lack of intention due to inattention, while accidental suggests an unplanned occurrence
unintentional
inadvertent specifically implies happening through oversight or carelessness, while unintentional broadly means not deliberate
careless
inadvertent describes the action as unintended, while careless judges the attitude or attention level of the person
Usage tip
Softer than 'accidental'. Implies the person wasn't paying enough attention rather than being reckless. Good for professional accountability.
Etymology
Latin inadvertens — in (not) + ad (to) + vertere (to turn), literally 'not turning attention to'
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Related words
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Never ending or changing; occurring continuously.
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More than enough; plentiful and sufficient.
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Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities.
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So intense as to seem almost touchable; easily perceived
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