# accident vs accidental

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### accident
*noun · IPA /ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/ · frequency rank #1,979*
An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.

### accidental
*adjective · IPA /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛn.tl̩/ · frequency rank #9,277*
Pertaining to accident and not essence; thus, inessential; incidental; secondary.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/accident-vs-accidental