accident
Americannoun
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an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap.
automobile accidents.
- Synonyms:
- disaster, contingency, misadventure, misfortune, mischance
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Law. such a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.
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any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause.
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chance; fortune; luck.
I was there by accident.
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a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic.
an accident of birth.
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Philosophy. any entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else.
-
Geology. a surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.
noun
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an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause
-
anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance; chance; fortune
I met him by accident
-
a misfortune or mishap, esp one causing injury or death
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Also called: adjunct. logic philosophy a nonessential attribute or characteristic of something (as opposed to substance)
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metaphysics a property as contrasted with the substance in which it inheres
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geology a surface irregularity in a natural formation, esp in a rock formation or a river system
Other Word Forms
- postaccident adjective
Etymology
Origin of accident
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin accident-, stem of accidēns “happening,” present participle of accidere “to befall, happen,” from ac- ac- + -cidere, combining form of cadere “to fall”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But underneath all the nail-biting is a solid foundation—Arsenal hasn’t climbed to the top of the league by accident.
They might not know whether they'll get exhausted, if the weather will get worse, or how big the risk of a serious accident is.
From BBC
The 35-year-old striker, who has joined Qatari side Al‑Sailiya, says owners of English clubs were wary of signing him following his accident in December 2024, which left him with multiple leg fractures.
From BBC
"We are recovering the bodies of these people who have sadly suffered in the accident," he said.
From Barron's
Running across 63 episodes, the show tells the tale of a billionaire who falls into a vegetative state after a mysterious car accident.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
