1
as in accidental
happening by chance
an incidental meeting of two ships in the middle of the Atlantic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
lacking importance
we still have to work out a few incidental details, but the proposal is largely complete
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nonessential
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incidental
Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
Through 161 interviews, a narrative emerged: once abundant, they were now relegated as mere bycatch, with a staggering 99.3% of respondents acknowledging their incidental capture.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
We’ve been joined by a number of other philanthropists in covering the costs of lodging, transportation, household expenses, communications costs, and other incidentals for these key investigators in their outposts.
—Howard Milstein, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incidental 
Adjective
The country’s Supreme Court, in a report that was kept sealed but reported on by Politico, rubber-stamped the hacking as incidental to legitimate state operations.
—Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
Through 161 interviews, a narrative emerged: once abundant, they were now relegated as mere bycatch, with a staggering 99.3% of respondents acknowledging their incidental capture.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Noun
Interface and incidentals The PS5 menu features a lot of welcome user interface touches that really help the overall experience of using the system.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
We’ve been joined by a number of other philanthropists in covering the costs of lodging, transportation, household expenses, communications costs, and other incidentals for these key investigators in their outposts.
—Howard Milstein, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incidental
Adjective
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And while their first born, Luna takes after her cheeky mom (see her accidental recreation of Teigen's famous meme face), the other three — Miles, 6, Esti, 19 months and Wren, 14 months — are Legend's miniature twins.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 Jan. 2025
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Key Background Musk has yet to elaborate on the gesture made Monday, though defenders such as the Anti-Defamation League have chalked up the action to being accidental or awkward as opposed to an intentional Nazi salute.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The three teens, whose identities have not been released due to their minor status, are all being held at Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility.—
Christina Coulter,
Fox News,
27 Jan. 2025
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Although it’s injured after escaping from one of the traps, Yuri manages to bond with the little critter and treat its minor lacerations after smuggling him home in her backpack.—
Justin Lowe,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bad decisions — the kind that can be, if not reversed, at least remedied — are an essential part of adolescence: lapses that teach us about our desires, our impulses, our weaknesses, our essential character, and leave us with no greater damage than a throbbing hangover or a small, smudgy tattoo.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025
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The photo showed small patches of raw, bloody skin on the knuckles of his index, middle and ring fingers on his left hand.—
Daniela Avila,
People.com,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Some segment fillers will come back in 2025, including the replacement for Jeep's popular Cherokee SUV.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
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Hoeppner says filler language isn’t just like, kinda, or sorta.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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His production was especially encouraging given how little UCLA has gotten from its two big men, prompting Cronin to play him a season-high 27 minutes.—
Ben Bolch,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Lots of style, sure, but ultimately, and perhaps ironically, very little substance.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) and police officers from the anti-corruption office are conducting all-out searches this morning targeting the French subsidiary of Netflix.—
Michele Luhn,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2025
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The technology company has not disclosed financial details for its subsidiaries, including TikTok’s global or U.S. operation.—
Haleluya Hadero,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The snow started falling Sunday afternoon, with a slight mix of hail.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
19 Jan. 2025
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That slight warming trend is expected to continue Friday, when high temperatures reach the upper 30s, with lows in the upper teens.—
Matt Hubbard,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Paired alongside Shakespeare’s lines about grunting and sweating under a weary life, even the non-playable background extras seem imbued with a soul.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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He’s published books on Orson Welles, Abbas Kiarostami, Erich von Stroheim, Jim Jarmusch, and many more, with his teeth-cutting days as an extra for Robert Bresson and a script consultant for Jacques Tati continuing to inform his often irreverent cinematic close-readings.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to incidental
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Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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