incidental

1 of 2

adjective

in·​ci·​den·​tal ˌin(t)-sə-ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce incidental (audio)
1
a
: being likely to ensue as a chance or minor consequence
social obligations incidental to the job
2
: occurring merely by chance or without intention or calculation

incidental

2 of 2

noun

1
incidentals plural : minor items (as of expense) that are not particularized
2
: something that is incidental

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Incidental vs. Accidental

One sense of incidental is defined as "occurring merely by chance or without intention or calculation ," and one of the most common meanings of accidental in modern use is "occurring unexpectedly or by chance," so it is not surprising that the two words are sometimes confused. However, in almost all settings in which they will be found today, these words have distinct meanings. Incidental is most often used in the sense "being likely to ensue as a chance or minor consequence," or "minor" (as in "there were some incidental expenses that I paid myself").

Examples of incidental in a Sentence

Adjective You may incur some incidental expenses on the trip. an incidental part of the job He writes incidental music for plays.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
But the haphazard rollout of unprecedented global tariffs in April and the White House’s goal of reshaping the postwar order indicate that upheaval is not just incidental but a central policy objective. Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025 The fact that Israel actually plunged the dagger into the deceased is incidental. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
Noun
For delayed bags, airlines are required by the DOT to provide reasonable compensation to travelers for daily incidentals. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 25 June 2025 Others tend to fall through the cracks, such as meals while on the road and other incidentals. Egor Karpovich, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for incidental

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of incidental was in 1644

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Cite this Entry

“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incidental. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

incidental

1 of 2 adjective
in·​ci·​den·​tal ˌin(t)-sə-ˈdent-ᵊl How to pronounce incidental (audio)
1
: happening by chance
2
: of minor importance

incidental

2 of 2 noun
: something that is incidental

Legal Definition

incidental

adjective
in·​ci·​den·​tal ˌin-sə-ˈdent-ᵊl How to pronounce incidental (audio)
1
: subordinate or secondary in importance or position
incidental benefits
2
3
: occurring by chance or in isolation
incidental use of a person's image
incidentally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on incidental

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