Definition of adventitiousnext
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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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 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 Plant Deep — Really Deep Tomatoes have the ability to produce roots off their stems, known as adventitious roots. Margaret Roach, New York Times, 12 May 2020 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
  • She was medically excused from the 2020 WNBA season held amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to extrinsic asthma, then returned to the league with the Washington Mystics in 2021.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 7 May 2026
  • Anyone that wanted to reserve time in the July 19 final was beholden to a full-tourney pledge of as much as $30 million, although your mileage will vary based on any number of extrinsic variables.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Chase is irrelevant and swinging at the right pitch is irrelevant.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 1 June 2026
  • Every second an irrelevant ad runs on DOOH inventory is lost revenue.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Adjective
  • That being said, Breslow confirmed that the Red Sox have explored making external additions to help the team.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • Do some internal and external housecleaning.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • Someone needs to tell both Salley and her extraneous E to get the hell off my imaginary husband.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026
  • Natalie asks after her daughter fires off a string of words punctuated by extraneous vowels.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
Adjective
  • Call volume during a typical Patriots game can more than double - hundreds of additional calls for help; Some true emergencies, others accidental pocket dials.
    Juli McDonald, CBS News, 3 June 2026
  • Invasive species The authors of the research paper recommend that all incoming extraterrestrial samples be handled exclusively through advanced robotic systems within the lunar facility, minimizing the possibility of human exposure and accidental release.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • She, by contrast, felt transported from herself—abducted by alien lines, written four centuries earlier, and doing their bidding.
    Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • For old-school leaders, some of these behaviours may feel uncomfortable or even alien.
    David Morel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Adjective
  • That finding helps explain why a beginner can sit down at a pottery wheel in a foreign country and walk away with a usable piece in a single afternoon.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
  • Russia warns of major Kyiv attacks The Kremlin urged foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv, warning of a major forthcoming attack, with analysts arguing that Russia is losing momentum in its war on Ukraine.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adventitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adventitious. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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