accidently
adverb
ac·ci·dent·ly
ˌak-sə-ˈdent-lē 
ˈak-sə-dənt-,
ˈak-sə-ˌdent-
: accidentally
Law enforcement officials said that an unattended candle accidently lit her living room couch on fire.—
Paul Chi
Paul ChiHe was turning out of the gateway when he accidently stumbled against a tall man wrapped in a cloak, who was at that moment coming out of the inn door.—Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Usage of Accidently
The adverb accidently has been in use since the 18th century. It continues to appear regularly in published writing, but it is far less common than accidentally, and it is sometimes cited as an error.
Examples of accidently in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Last May, Weston and Kirkland accidently reeled in a 200-pound alligator snapping turtle while trying to catch a massive fish.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
While running late to a mandatory executive meeting, John (a senior manager) accidently bumped into Jane (his counterpart who was walking to the same meeting).
—Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The Trump administration’s national security team accidently shares plans for military strikes in Yemen in a group text chat with a journalist.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2025
Emergency slide accidently deploys:Delta Air Lines flight canceled after flight crew makes mistake
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidently
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
While running late to a mandatory executive meeting, John (a senior manager) accidently bumped into Jane (his counterpart who was walking to the same meeting).
—Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The Trump administration’s national security team accidently shares plans for military strikes in Yemen in a group text chat with a journalist.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2025
Emergency slide accidently deploys:Delta Air Lines flight canceled after flight crew makes mistake
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accidently
Cite this Entry
“Accidently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accidently. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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