Meaning & use

accident

noun·Everyday

An unexpected and unintended event, often causing damage or injury, that happens without deliberate cause.

See it in a sentence

A minor traffic accident on the bridge caused delays across the whole city center.

The chemical spill was later ruled an accident rather than an act of sabotage.

A note on using this word

Accident stresses the lack of intent behind an event; use incident for a more neutral term that does not imply harm or blame.

Words with a similar meaning

mishapcollisionmistake

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

designintention

Make it your own

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