tangential
adjective
tan·gen·tial
tan-ˈjen(t)-shəl 
1
a
: touching lightly : incidental, peripheral
tangential involvement
also
: of little relevance
arguments tangential to the main point
b
2
: of, relating to, or of the nature of a tangent
3
: acting along or lying in a tangent
tangential forces
Did you know?
Tangential Has Mathematical Roots
In geometry, a tangent is a straight line that touches a curve at a single point. So we say that someone who starts talking about one thing and gets sidetracked has gone off on a tangent. The new subject is tangential to the first subject—it touches it and moves off in a different direction.
Examples of tangential in a Sentence
Their romance is tangential to the book's main plot.
Recent Examples on the Web
And studies show that maintaining even a small set of meaningful professional relationships has a stronger impact on career opportunities than amassing hundreds of weak or tangential connections.
—
Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Ostensibly, though, the movie is meant to serve as the story of a tangential figure in the greater Wu Tang community, Dutch Moroccan rapper-producer Tarik Azzougarh, known to hip-hop fans as Cilvaringz.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Homelessness — and affordability, housing availability and myriad other issues tangential to a very visible problem in California — is among the many concerns Californians have that the bevy of gubernatorial candidates will be asked to address as the campaign for governor continues this year.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 18 Jan. 2026
And yet off the court, an eventful period to say the least, in several cases with a degree of Heat impact, some directly, some tangential.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangential
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Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Ostensibly, though, the movie is meant to serve as the story of a tangential figure in the greater Wu Tang community, Dutch Moroccan rapper-producer Tarik Azzougarh, known to hip-hop fans as Cilvaringz.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Homelessness — and affordability, housing availability and myriad other issues tangential to a very visible problem in California — is among the many concerns Californians have that the bevy of gubernatorial candidates will be asked to address as the campaign for governor continues this year.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 18 Jan. 2026
And yet off the court, an eventful period to say the least, in several cases with a degree of Heat impact, some directly, some tangential.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tangential
Cite this Entry
“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tangential. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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