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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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
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
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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
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That authorization was broad and encompassed Gastineau’s name and likeness as reflected in extrinsic footage, such as that of the encounter with Favre.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Without it, the risk isn’t lagging behind but becoming irrelevant.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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And Thursday night’s performance, while not wholly irrelevant, was just another television rerun broadcast to a less-than-mass audience.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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In addition to these external influences, Dini emphasized that long-term domestic instability has left Somalia’s coastline vulnerable, weakening local institutions and lowering the risks for pirate networks.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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Once the two halves are equipped and welded together, vacuum pumps will remove the air to create an environment similar to outer space, providing the structural support necessary to withstand external air pressure.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Budget reconciliation bills must comply with strict rules, including the Byrd Rule, which bars provisions deemed extraneous to federal spending or outside the jurisdiction of the committees that drafted them.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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Democrats are expected to argue before the Senate's parliamentarian that the spending is extraneous and therefore should not be allowed to be included in a reconciliation bill.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The sturdy, durable case offers a water-resistant fabric, which is great for accidental coffee spills amid the airport security line.—
Sarah DiMuro,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed his death to an accidental ketamine overdose and said drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine — used to treat opioid use disorder — were factors.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hope centers around an alien invasion from the planet Gh’ertu crash-landing in rural South Korean town, Hope Harbor.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
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But the weightless, old-school videogame aesthetic of the alien monster design sticks out even further amid the stylishness of the world captured in-camera.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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But its exports – which generated $861 million last year – are also a major source of revenue and foreign currency.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
16 May 2026
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Lee-Kim is happier to discuss the studio’s ability to pivot to foreign-language titles and to build relationships with foreign filmmakers.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adventitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adventitious. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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