ADVENTITIOUS Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

adventitious

adjective

ˌad-(ˌ)ven-ˈti-shəs

Definition of adventitious

as in extrinsic

not being a vital part of or belonging to something the point of view that art should be for art's sake and that moral considerations are adventitious to the study of art

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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 adventitious Although individual plants have a lifespan of 30-90 years, adventitious shoots grow up from roots. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 July 2025 The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker. — Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024 The cut appears to have been high enough that the stump should still have enough adventitious buds to regrow. — Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023 This can also occur when trees are planted too deep, as adventitious (growing sideways from the stem) roots grow against the stem and squeeze the sapwood. — Rebecca Jepsen, The Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adventitious

Adjective

Educational psychology provides a useful framework for understanding this phenomenon through the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

— Jason Benedict, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Extrinsic rewards, such as grades, do so because extrinsic desires tend to crowd out intrinsic ones.

— David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026

Definition of extrinsic

Adjective

Ovitz, meanwhile, asked to be excused from further questioning on the grounds that Ormond’s lawyers were trying to harass him with irrelevant questions.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
But three judges added a concurrence that could make the whole thing irrelevant — and finally clear the way for Presnell’s sentence to be carried out.

— Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

Disruptions to external infrastructure could therefore affect parts of its fuel supply chain.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
In both wars, external support has made sustained air and missile strike campaigns far less likely to result in political capitulation, or economic or military collapse.

— Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of external

Adjective

McAuliffe, now a breast cancer surgeon and clinical investigator at Emory University, said that surgeons encounter a lot of extraneous information in the electronic health record — but the nudge was simple.

— Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
That some narrative moves are obvious, some unconvincing and some just extraneous does not get in the way of a good time.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of extraneous

Adjective

As Earth faces an overwhelming alien threat, these young aviators are thrown into relentless combat that tests their loyalty, courage and faith in one another.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
But when the mechanic suddenly disappears, he is forced to descend into a mysterious underworld and confront an alien presence in order to bring her back.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of alien

Adjective

The United States could reap crucial benefits from sharing foreign trade secrets with select tech firms.

— DAVID S. COHEN, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
In the eastern coastal city of Durban, where looting of shops owned by foreign nationals was reported by the state broadcaster, SABC, riot police were deployed to the city center.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of foreign

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“Adventitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adventitious. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of adventitious

adjective

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