inadvertently

inadvertently — adverb

1. describes an action that is done without planning or meaning to; something happe

1.adverbB2
Definition

describes an action that is done without planning or meaning to; something happens by accident, often because of a moment's carelessness or a failure to notice what was happening.

Example

Adisa inadvertently threw away his grandmother's antique teapot with the old newspapers.

adverb before main verb in active past tense

The confidential report had been inadvertently emailed to the wrong distribution list.

passive: had been inadvertently + past participle

Common collocations
  • inadvertently cause [problem/confusion]
  • inadvertently delete [file/data/document]
  • inadvertently offend [someone]
  • inadvertently reveal [information/secret]
  • inadvertently create [situation/issue]
Synonyms
  • accidentally

    more common and neutral; suitable for both speech and writing

  • unintentionally

    similar register but focuses purely on absence of intent rather than carelessness

  • unwittingly

    emphasizes that the person did not know an important fact or consequence

Antonyms

Usage Note

Inadvertently is more formal than accidentally or by mistake. It is common in professional writing and formal speech. The adverb typically appears directly before the main verb (She inadvertently deleted the file) or after an auxiliary verb (The file was inadvertently deleted).

Common Mistakes

She inadvertently deleted the file on purpose.
She inadvertently deleted the file.' or 'She deleted the file on purpose.
'Inadvertently' means the action was unintentional, so adding 'on purpose' creates a contradiction.

Word family

  • inadvertent
    adjectiveB2
  • inadvertence
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four expressions describe actions that are not done on purpose, but they differ in emphasis and register. Accidentally is the most common and neutral word, used in both speech and writing for minor or major mishaps. Inadvertently is more formal and often appears in professional or written contexts, carrying a slight implication of carelessness or a failure to pay attention. Unintentionally focuses on the absence of intent and is neutral in register; it can describe both actions and their results. Unwittingly emphasizes that the person did not know or realize something important, often with a hidden consequence. By mistake is an informal phrase used when someone does one thing instead of another, for example picking up the wrong bag. Compare: She accidentally broke a plate (neutral, everyday), The CEO inadvertently disclosed the merger plan (formal, suggests carelessness), He unwittingly passed a counterfeit banknote (unknowing, hidden fact), and I took your umbrella by mistake (informal, wrong object).

accidentally ↗unintentionallyunwittinglyby mistake ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • quite inadvertently
  • almost inadvertently

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Inadvertently comes from the Latin verb advertere, meaning 'to turn toward' or 'to pay attention'. The negative prefix in- reverses this to 'not paying attention', and the adverb suffix -ly was added. The word entered English through French inadvertant and has been in use since the 17th century.