ancillary

adjective

Definition of ancillarynext
as in secondary

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 ancillary Across Africa, governments have spent decades announcing ports without thinking about connecting railways, highways without paved feeder roads, and pipelines without ancillary terminals. — Bright Simons, semafor.com, 13 July 2026 The original movie from 20 or 30 years earlier suddenly gets a surge of nostalgic interest on streaming and it, in turn, fuels the ancillary revenue even if the box office itself is a little soft. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 13 July 2026 Costco's ancillary businesses, including gasoline and pharmacy, were sources of strength last month. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 9 July 2026 This is because oven cleaner is actually meant to tackle grime inside your oven, not the glass door or other ancillary components. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ancillary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancillary
  1. secondary
  2. auxiliary
  3. subordinate
  4. subsidiary
  5. peripheral
  6. supplementary
  7. supplemental
  8. marginal
Adjective
  • This involves aligning the primary and secondary mirrors so light reflects properly to the eyepiece.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Riders were easily linked up with rapid shuttle buses and secondary transit, making commutes more seamless.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of secondary
Adjective
  • Other smaller ethnic auxiliary groups support the government.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • And, earlier in the summer, the heat forced them to cut down their outside play time, says Drew Mackay, the director of auxiliary and summer programs at Beauvoir School.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 26 July 2026
Definition of auxiliary
Adjective
  • The prosecutor noted Patten's cooperation, his good behavior while free awaiting his sentencing, and his subordinate role to the Cokers in the scheme.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
  • Executive Vulnerability How a leader reacts in the five-second window after being corrected by a subordinate determines the future of that company’s innovation.
    — William DeCourcy, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of subordinate
Adjective
  • The institute, alert to what was coming, had already moved its financial resources out of the country and opened a subsidiary office in Geneva.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • The participation exemption can eliminate corporate tax on the sale of subsidiary shares at exit entirely.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Definition of subsidiary
Adjective
  • Longstaff, who became a peripheral figure during his first Leeds campaign, had a promising showing in the first half.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • Over her life so far, Catherine became night-blind, then colorblind, and then began to lose her peripheral vision.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026
Definition of peripheral
Adjective
  • In 2024, Purja became the fastest person to summit all 14 of the peaks without supplementary oxygen.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Coverage is provided by Employees’ Health Insurance and National Health Insurance schemes; private insurance only plays a supplementary role.
    — Runchana Pongsaparn, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Definition of supplementary
Adjective
  • Attracted by low premiums and supplemental benefits, Medicare Advantage now enrolls more than 54% of the Medicare-eligible population.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Providing supplemental irrigation during dry periods to reduce drought stress.
    — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of supplemental
Adjective
  • Only foreign income actually remitted to Mauritius is taxed, and then usually at a marginal rate of no more than 20% (35% if taxable income is above $365,000).
    — William P. Barrett, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • There is a marginal risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe weather overnight Thursday for parts of the Kansas City forecast area.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
Definition of marginal

Browse Nearby Words

ancients
ancillary
androgynous
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Ancillary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancillary. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on ancillary

Nglish: Translation of ancillary for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All