Accidently vs. Accidentally

Pick a dictionary, and make that your standard. I use www.m-w.com.

It says that "accidently" is an alternate spelling of accidentally.

Since the dictionary I rely on gives is an alternate spelling, I'm okay with it - though the fact that others may consider it incorrect might cause you to hestitate to use it.

All along I thought that 'accidentally' was the correct adverb. I'm surprised to learn that 'accidently' exists.

Yoong LiatI'm surprised to learn that 'accidently' exists.

Me too. I always use accidentally.

CJ

They're both technically right. "Accidently" is a variant of "accidentally" in most dictionaries. It's been said, but it's best to pick a dictionary and stick with it for consistency. (Merriam Webster is the one I use also.)

And in the cases of variants, I try to avoid them at all costs. A variant (accidently, alright) is accepted in some circles but not in others. A nonvar

The correct word is "accidentally" because it comes from "accidental", which is an adverb.

Accidently is not correct and not a word.

Just because some dictionaries have it listed, doesn't make it correct. A lot of dictionaries put words in because they are popular, not necessarily because they are correct.

Anonymousit comes from "accidental", which is an adverb.

The word "accidental" is an adjective.
The word "accidentally" is an adverb.

No, accidently is a word, just a variation of accidentally. You can use it, and in most cases, it is correct. Accidentally will always be correct.

I disagree with the advice above that one should pick a dictionary and use it as the ultimate guide to one's spelling. Dictionaries are descriptive documents. If a misspelt word is common enough, it will find its way into a dictionary somewhere, but that doesn't necessarily make that word immediately acceptable to educated readers.

One should really pick a respected usage guide, such as B

Well actually language evolved due to the use of certain 'popular' sounds to describe certain objects or things. So in fact any popular usage is correct. 'Correct' and 'incorrect' ideas are simply human constructs often simply reflecting a type of word snobery. As language itself is a human construct any person may change at will as it is a purely tool of our expression. So long as others

Hi,

Nevertheless, I wouldn't recommend this 'change at will / matters not one whit' approach to spelling if you are writing, for example, a job application, or a business report for your boss, or a university essay.