Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

unintended consequence

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.21 in modern English

Syllables
un-in-tend-ed -con-se-quence
IPA
36
Scrabble Score
21
Letters
7
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An outcome of a purposeful action that is not intended or foreseen.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Popularized by sociologist Robert K. Merton.

Inflected Forms

unintended consequences (plural) unanticipated consequence (alternative) unforeseen consequence (alternative)

Phrases

collateral damage side effect you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs

Frequently Paired Words

collateral damage preterintentional side effect you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs

Questions

What does unintended consequence mean?
An outcome of a purposeful action that is not intended or foreseen.
Where does unintended consequence come from?
Popularized by sociologist Robert K. Merton.

How to pronounce unintended consequence

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “unintended consequence”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “unintended consequence”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “unintended consequence” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.