What does unintended mean?
Unintended is an adjective describing something that was not planned, wanted, or deliberately meant to happen. It is especially useful when discussing consequences, effects, errors, and outcomes that differ from an intended result. The word often carries a mildly cautionary connotation, suggesting that the result may be undesirable even though it was not deliberately produced. For example, a design feature may have unintended consequences, or a mistake may have an unintended effect on other people. In everyday use, the term is formal but broadly understood, and it can apply to both minor mishaps and significant social or technical problems. Unintended should not be confused with unforeseeable: something can be unintended while still being reasonably predictable once its consequences are examined.
adjectiveNot planned, desired, or deliberately meant to occur. It describes an outcome, effect, error, or consequence that was not intended.
- Not intended as a result or outcome.
- Occurring without deliberate intention or planning.
"The policy had unintended consequences for small businesses."
"The new sign was designed to prevent accidents, but it created an unintended obstacle for cyclists."
"Her omission was unintended, though it caused considerable confusion."
Sometimes the most important consequences are the ones nobody planned.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unintended come from?
Unintended is an English formation made by adding the negative prefix un- to intended. The underlying intended belongs to the Latin-based family represented by intent, intention, and intentional; these words ultimately derive from Latin intendere, meaning to direct one's attention to or aim at. The English sense of intentional planning developed from that idea, and unintended was formed to express the absence of deliberate intention.
Related word forms
How unintended is actually used
Neutral in register and especially common in discussions of consequences, effects, errors, and outcomes. It means that something was not intended, but it does not necessarily mean that the outcome was impossible to foresee.
Easily confused with unintended
Unintended usually focuses on an outcome or consequence that was not desired, whereas unintentional more often describes an act, error, or omission performed without deliberate intention.