Incident vs Accident
The distinction between incident and accident is worth noting, as these terms are often confused in their usage. Both words have their origins in Late Middle English and have different grammatical classifications, with “accident” being a noun and “incident” functioning as both a noun and an adjective. Additionally, the word “accident” is used in several phrases such as “an accident waiting to happen,” “by accident,” and “without accident.”
What does Incident mean?
The term “incident” refers to a happening or event that occurs and catches the attention of people. Generally, an incident does not involve the loss of human life or any casualties. For example:
The incident attracted a large number of people.
She was very much ashamed about the incident her son created in the ball.
In these examples, “incident” refers to a happening that drew attention from a crowd, such as a roadshow or a quarrel. The adverbial form of the word is incidentally.
What does Accident mean?
Conversely, the word “accident” pertains to a happening or event that takes place suddenly. Unlike an incident, an accident usually involves the loss of human life or casualties. Accidents also tend to draw crowds, similar to incidents. Sometimes, “accident” refers to an unexpected occurrence, as in the following example:
Last night I met my friend by accident.
In this sentence, the person unexpectedly encountered their friend. Other examples include:
The accident took away 25 lives.
She was in a coma for three months after the accident.
These sentences describe occurrences that resulted in casualties or serious injury. The word “accident” is used in phrases such as “by accident,” and its adverbial form is accidentally.
Key Takeaways
- An incident refers to a happening or event that catches people’s attention, while an accident refers to a sudden event that often results in casualties.
- Incidents do not involve loss of human life or casualties, whereas accidents often do.
- The adverbial form of “incident” is incidentally, and for “accident,” it is accidentally.
