1
formal
: slightly or indirectly related to something : not closely connected to something
Their romance is tangential to the book's main plot.
a tangential point
2
geometry
: relating to a tangent : in or along a tangent
tangential force
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“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tangential. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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