SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
unwittingly
adverb
Without realizing it or intending the result.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Without awareness
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topUnwittingly emphasizes lack of knowledge. Unintentionally emphasizes lack of purpose, and accidentally can concern chance even when the person notices the event.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See unwittingly in use
He unwittingly sent the draft to the entire club.
Mara unwittingly reversed a stencil when she traced through its back, unaware that the letters would print in the opposite direction.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license