Accidentally on purpose

Meaning

The idiom "accidentally on purpose" means that something was done intentionally, but it was presented as an accident or a mistake. It suggests that the person responsible for the action had planned it beforehand but didn't want to admit it. For example: "I accidentally broke your vase, but I did it on purpose." In this sentence, the speaker admits that they intentionally broke the vase, but they chose to present it as an accident because they didn't want to take responsibility for their actions.

Usage

• "The boss accidentally spilled coffee on himself, but he knew he was doing it on purpose to avoid a difficult conversation."
• "I accidentally locked my keys in the trunk, but I did it on purpose because I wanted to go home and watch TV."
• "The company accidentally overcharged its customers, but they did it on purpose to increase revenue."
• "She accidentally texted the wrong number, but she did it on purpose to play a prank on her friend."
• "The athlete was caught doping, but he accidentally forgot to submit his test results beforehand."

Roots and History

The idiom "accidentally on purpose" is an American English phrase that emerged in the early 20th century. It was first used in literature by author John Steinbeck in his novel "The Grapes of Wrath" in 1939. Since then, it has become a common expression in contemporary language and is widely understood in various contexts.

Synonyms in English

• On purpose
• Deliberately
• Intentionally
• Planned
• Intended

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "Intentionnellement" (intentionally)
• Spanish: "Por supuesto" (of course)
• German: "Absichtlich" (on purpose)
• Italian: "Per favore" (please, an expression used for politely expressing a desire or intention)
• Chinese: "意识做的" (on purpose, literally meaning done with conscious intention)

Similar Idioms

• hit the road

• as thick as thieves

• a man of action