accidentally triggered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "accidentally triggered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an event or action that occurred unintentionally, often resulting in an unexpected outcome. Example: "The alarm was accidentally triggered when I bumped into the control panel."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

When a team leader is killed, the facility goes into lockdown, and a self-destruct mechanism is accidentally triggered.

The New York Times

For example, in 1994 an Airbus A300 crashed in Japan, killing 264, after the pilot accidentally triggered the autopilot while the plane was approaching for landing.

The New York Times - Arts

She is perfectly capable of turning off an accidentally triggered burglar alarm herself, or with the help of the police, when they arrive.

The New Yorker

She was injured twice as a child and last year, as she worked the fields with her brother and daughter, they accidentally triggered an unexploded bomb.

The Guardian - Arts

Pruitt that day criticized the EPA's previous handling of the mine, where the agency accidentally triggered a spill two years earlier.

The Washington Post

While commercials — often those about home hubs — have accidentally triggered voice assistants in people's homes before, this seems to be the first time an ad has tried to do it intentionally.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Many have also died by accidentally triggering bombs they were assembling.

The New York Times

And your kids may be accidentally triggering the smart speaker to start recording them, too.

MIT Technology Review

One of the cats accidentally triggers the alarm and once again the police are on their way.

The New Yorker

"How do you turn the radio on?" Mr. Tennant wondered, fiddling with dials and accidentally triggering the air-conditioning.

The New York Times - Style

This iteration of the script is said to focus of Adam's character questioning her happily-ever-after life and accidentally triggering events that upend everyone's lives.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a sequence of events, ensure the subject who "accidentally triggered" the action is clearly identified to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Don't use "accidentally triggered" when the action was deliberate. The phrase inherently implies a lack of intent. Use "triggered" alone if the action was intentional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "accidentally triggered" typically functions as a verb phrase, where "triggered" is the main verb and "accidentally" serves as an adverb modifying the verb to indicate the action was unintentional. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

10%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Science

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "accidentally triggered" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something that was unintentionally activated or set in motion. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, to convey a lack of intent behind an action. While semantically similar alternatives like "inadvertently activated" or "unintentionally set off" exist, it's essential to ensure the chosen phrase accurately reflects the lack of deliberate action. When using "accidentally triggered", clarity in sentence structure is key, ensuring the subject and action are well-defined to avoid any potential ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

accidentally activated

Similar to "accidentally triggered", but can be more specific to electrical devices.

inadvertently activated

Focuses on the lack of attention or awareness during the triggering event.

unintentionally set off

Emphasizes the lack of intent behind the triggering.

mistakenly initiated

Highlights an error or misjudgment leading to the triggering.

involuntarily started

Suggests the triggering was beyond the person's control.

unwittingly caused

Focuses on the lack of knowledge about the potential consequences.

inadvertently caused to happen

Highlights the happening aspect of the verb cause.

unthinkingly unleashed

Implies a lack of forethought leading to potentially destructive triggering.

erroneously launched

Emphasizes the incorrectness of the launch or activation.

casually set in motion

Indicates a light or careless action leading to the triggering.

FAQs

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

You can use "accidentally triggered" to describe an action that was started unintentionally, for example: "The alarm was "accidentally triggered" by the cat".

What can I say instead of "accidentally triggered"?

You can use alternatives like "inadvertently activated", "unintentionally set off", or "mistakenly initiated" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "accidentally triggered" or "intentionally triggered"?

"Accidentally triggered" and "intentionally triggered" have opposite meanings and depend on the context. "Accidentally triggered" implies the action was unintentional, while "intentionally triggered" suggests it was deliberate.

What's the difference between "accidentally triggered" and "deliberately triggered"?

"Deliberately triggered" means the action was intentional, whereas "accidentally triggered" means it was unintentional. They describe opposite scenarios.