accidentally chosen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "accidentally chosen" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that was selected unintentionally or by mistake. Example: "The file that was accidentally chosen for the presentation contained outdated information."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

He had accidentally chosen one of Hogancamp's photographs – called Rescuing the Major.

The Guardian - Arts

It is therefore methodologically illegitimate to allot the one-time CO2 emission from deforestation to any accidentally chosen quantity of a product (e.g. yearly beef production in South America).

Pastoralism

Assuming I had accidentally chosen the same two questions, I restarted the process.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It's like when you're a kid and you accidentally choose one with booze and you're like "Ew, yuck".

The Guardian

His execution passed unnoticed for years until a team of Columbia Law School faculty and students almost accidentally chose to investigate his case and found that DeLuna almost certainly was innocent.

Columbia University

(If you push the button at the wrong time, as I did when I accidentally chose the Portuguese-language option, there's a reset hidden in the base of the speaker).

The New York Times

In 2000, thousands of voters in Florida made a similar mistake by accidentally choosing two candidates for president, invalidating their selections and helping plunge the razor-thin contest into a chaotic stalemate for weeks.

The New York Times

Not the happiest Hogmanay in culture, admittedly, but Nick Hornby's 2005 novel opens with its four main characters accidentally choosing the same London roof to jump from on New Year's Eve.

The Guardian

Choosing actions randomly according to this distribution would require 2 k actions to accidentally choose a sequence of the same action of length k.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling

Don't miss the episode when five chefs accidentally choose the same garnish - a slice of lotus root.

Huffington Post

At least you can finally get rid of that Disney Princess credit card you accidentally chose thinking it was the Darth Vader offer in the catalog.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing decisions or selections, use "accidentally chosen" to emphasize the unintentional nature of the choice. This can be particularly effective when highlighting errors or unexpected outcomes.

Common error

Avoid using "accidentally chosen" when the selection was influenced by subtle preferences or biases, even if not fully conscious. The phrase implies a complete lack of intention, which may not always be accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "accidentally chosen" functions as a past participle phrase, typically modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate that something was selected unintentionally or by mistake. Ludwig provides examples illustrating this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "accidentally chosen" is a grammatically sound way to describe an unintentional selection. Ludwig highlights its use across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources. While "accidentally chosen" is acceptable, more formal alternatives like "inadvertently selected" may be suitable for academic or professional writing. Remember to use "accidentally chosen" to emphasize the unintentional nature of the choice, and to avoid it when the selection involved subtle preferences or biases. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is a valid and useful part of the English language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unintentionally selected

Emphasizes the lack of intent in the selection process, focusing on the absence of a deliberate choice.

mistakenly picked

Highlights the error or mistake involved in the selection, suggesting a wrong choice was made.

inadvertently selected

Similar to unintentionally selected but carries a slightly more formal tone.

erroneously designated

Focuses on the incorrect assignment or designation of something, often in a formal context.

fortuitously picked

Implies that the choice, though accidental, resulted in a positive outcome or benefit.

casually selected

Underlines the lack of seriousness or deliberation in the act of choosing, suggesting it was done without much thought.

randomly assigned

Indicates that the selection was made without any specific criteria or preference, relying solely on chance.

unwittingly adopted

Highlights a lack of awareness or knowledge in the selection or adoption of something.

incidentally preferred

Suggests that the choice, while not intended, turned out to be the preferred option.

unconsciously designated

A situation in which the selection process occurred without deliberate thought or intention.

FAQs

How can I use "accidentally chosen" in a sentence?

You can use "accidentally chosen" to describe a selection made unintentionally. For example, "The wrong file was "accidentally chosen" for the presentation, leading to some confusion".

What's a good alternative to "accidentally chosen"?

Alternatives include "unintentionally selected", "mistakenly picked", or "inadvertently selected". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "accidentally chosen" formal or informal?

"Accidentally chosen" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but more formal alternatives like "inadvertently selected" might be preferable in academic or professional settings.

What is the difference between "accidentally chosen" and "randomly chosen"?

"Accidentally chosen" implies a mistake or lack of intention, while "randomly chosen" suggests a deliberate selection based on chance without preference. For instance, selecting a name from a hat is "randomly chosen", whereas selecting the wrong file is "accidentally chosen".