completely unintentionally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "completely unintentionally" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action or event that occurred without any intention or premeditation. Example: "I spilled my drink completely unintentionally while reaching for my phone."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And now, completely unintentionally, I return to the same ice field".

The Guardian

For example, going on vacation and bringing a bat fungus from Europe to the United States completely unintentionally.

The Washington Post

Knight may have indirectly — and completely unintentionally — refreshed Manuel's memory by struggling in his first inning Saturday just as he had during that day at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Times - Sports

Weirdly, the number of baggies he'll have on display ended up "completely unintentionally" being a very suitable amount.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

She can totally unintentionally elbow someone".

The New York Times - Sports

Anyone who's ever browsed their favorite news site and has been exposed to advertising units that seem totally off base with the publisher brand, or even completely – even if unintentionally – juxtaposed to the content that's being viewed has been a 'victim' of ads that were placed just to fill up unsold ad inventory, which is what remnant advertising comes down to.

TechCrunch

As for the dramatic side of "Exodus," though, it "alternates between being completely solemn and unintentionally silly," Turan says.

Los Angeles Times

Despite the best efforts of all those writers, however, the dramatic side of "Exodus" alternates between being completely solemn and unintentionally silly, with lines of dialogue like a snarky Aaron telling his son, "This is your famous uncle Moses" being more the rule than the exception.

Los Angeles Times

Though the aspirant's role was initially provisional, it was neither completely undefined nor unintentionally undefined.

Administrative Science Quarterly

Some recent neurological research shows that control signals sent by this area are not completely domain-specific but unintentionally affect all these other forms of control.

The Guardian - Tech

All epitaxial layers were unintentionally doped.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "completely unintentionally" to emphasize the absence of intent when describing an action or event, particularly when clarifying a misunderstanding or denying malicious intent.

Common error

Avoid pairing "completely unintentionally" with other intensifiers (e.g., "very completely unintentionally") as it can sound redundant and weaken the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The adverb phrase "completely unintentionally" functions primarily as an intensifier modifying a verb or verb phrase. It clarifies that an action was performed without any conscious intent or planning. This aligns with Ludwig AI's observation that the phrase is usable and correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

13%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "completely unintentionally" is used to emphasize that an action or event occurred without any intent or premeditation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly found in neutral to slightly formal contexts, particularly in news and media. While it isn't an extremely frequent phrase, its meaning is clear. When using "completely unintentionally", avoid redundancy by not pairing it with other intensifiers. Alternatives like "entirely by accident" or "totally inadvertently" can be used to convey a similar meaning while varying your word choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entirely by accident

Focuses on the accidental nature of the event; stronger emphasis on lack of planning.

totally inadvertently

Emphasizes the lack of awareness or attention during the action.

absolutely without meaning to

Directly states the absence of intention in a more verbose way.

purely coincidentally

Highlights the chance or random nature of the occurrence.

wholly without intent

Formal and emphatic way of expressing lack of intention.

genuinely unplanned

Highlights that the action was not part of any plan.

utterly without purpose

Emphasizes the lack of any goal or aim behind the action.

thoroughly uncalculated

Stresses that the action was not thought out or premeditated.

unwittingly and fully

Combines lack of awareness with completeness, adding emphasis.

in complete absence of design

Highlights the lack of design or intention in the event.

FAQs

How can I use "completely unintentionally" in a sentence?

You can use "completely unintentionally" to describe an action that happened without any intention. For example: "I spilled my coffee "completely unintentionally" while reaching for my phone."

What phrases are similar to "completely unintentionally"?

Similar phrases include "entirely by accident", "totally inadvertently", or "purely coincidentally". These alternatives emphasize the lack of intent or planning.

Is it redundant to use "very" with "completely unintentionally"?

Yes, using "very completely unintentionally" is generally redundant. "Completely" already implies a full extent, so adding "very" doesn't add significant meaning.

Which is more formal, "completely unintentionally" or "entirely by accident"?

"Completely unintentionally" and "entirely by accident" are fairly interchangeable in terms of formality. However, "completely unintentionally" might be slightly more formal due to the use of the adverb "unintentionally".