as in irrelevant
having little to do with the matter at hand
Your point is tangential to the main objective of this meeting so please save it for later.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tangential
Not a single line of dialogue feels unnecessary, or a subplot tangential.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangential
Adjective
-
So, all of the other amazing things that'll happen on the way are irrelevant, if that doesn't go well.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
His running mate is irrelevant to matching funds.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That means mathematicians can approximate these rotations with a straight line that touches the circle at just one point — a tangent line.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Dec. 2025
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The slope, or steepness, of the tangent line measures how quickly the function is changing at that point.—
Solomon Adams,
WIRED,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Mobile health clinics offer a powerful solution and should be integrated into core health-system strategy, not treated as peripheral outreach.—
Crystal Cene,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, also called ASCVD, is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries and can include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, and aortic atherosclerotic disease, according to the American Heart Association.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangential. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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