incident 1 of 2

incident

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word incident distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of incident are circumstance, episode, event, and occurrence. While all these words mean "something that happens or takes place," incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance.

a minor wartime incident

When would circumstance be a good substitute for incident?

In some situations, the words circumstance and incident are roughly equivalent. However, circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background.

couldn't recall the exact circumstances

When can episode be used instead of incident?

The words episode and incident can be used in similar contexts, but episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident.

a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work

In what contexts can event take the place of incident?

While the synonyms event and incident are close in meaning, event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause.

the events following the assassination

When might occurrence be a better fit than incident?

While in some cases nearly identical to incident, occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan.

an encounter that was a chance occurrence

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of incident
Noun
The Department of Energy’s order is effective through 10 a.m. on Christmas Day, and grid operators are to provide detailed reporting to the Energy Department and complete a post-incident special environmental analysis, a department spokesperson said in an email. Dallas News, 24 Dec. 2022 At Black Hat, the researchers argued that this strategy should also be applied to cyber-incident investigations. Kim Key, PCMAG, 11 Aug. 2022
Adjective
In another video of the incident cited by CNN, the woman had been seen interlocking her arms with a man believed to be her husband who had been detained. Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025 Lasting impacts As a result of the incident, Thorns continues to struggle with PTSD, anxiety and depression, Picerno said in the lawsuit. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incident
Noun
  • This event will be the first of three supermoons in 2025, with others in November and December.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Top 10 events in Cincinnati this weekend – Lions and pumpkins and beers (oh my).
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Pitchers of the winery's red and white wines made for the perfect accompaniment to wash down the meal.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • There was also a live accompaniment—Chaplin’s own score for the movie, restored, adapted, and conducted by Timothy Brock, with the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Corinne, who is the managing director and handles day-to-day business, created the accompanying content.
    Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
  • At the time of its release, the song and its accompanying music video were met with backlash and the video was pulled from the Country Music Television (CMT) network's rotation.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As for traffic flow and cost-effectiveness, a couple of things are worth considering.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Shannon tries to ram the trainers with elbows because, yeah, Shannon does those kinds of things.
    Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Variety is maintaining a log of all the other editions and their attendant cover art; most were only available at Swift’s webstore and sold out almost immediately upon being announced for sale.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
  • For many Americans, sports fandom is almost akin to a religious experience, with all the attendant emotions that go along with it.
    Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • An investigation is underway into the incident, and investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the fight, according to the sheriff’s office.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
  • But however, there are many safety micro switches in the entire unit that would stop the escalator in certain circumstances, and that's how they are designed.
    Majd Al-Waheidi, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The episode started off during part 1 of the final Head of Household competition, which Morgan Pope won (surprise, surpsie).
    David Wysong, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Melissa is a fountain of inspiration and information and this episode covers topics as diverse as how to cultivate discernment in our reading to why memoir is the opposite of self-indulgent.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The West persisted as a meaningful geopolitical concept and entity even after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its concomitant East.
    Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
  • President Trump attended an important summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and concomitant energy infrastructure at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on July 15th, 2025.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Incident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incident. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on incident

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