Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

circumstantial

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of circumstantial

including many small descriptive features
  • the circumstantial account of his surgery told us more than we really wanted to know about the stomach
Synonyms of circumstantial

blow-by-blow, detailed, elaborate, full, minute, particular, particularized, thorough
Words Related to circumstantial

enumerated, inventoried, itemized, listed, numerated

delineated, specific, specified

abundant, copious

comprehensive, encyclopedic, exhausting, exhaustive, inclusionary, inclusive, in-depth, omnibus, panoramic, thoroughgoing

accurate, correct, exact, precise

complete, entire, replete

distinct, explicit, sharp

mapped (out)

descriptive, graphic (also graphical), picturesque, vivid
Near Antonyms of circumstantial

brief, compact, concise, crisp, pithy, short, succinct, terse

abbreviated, abridged, curtailed, cut, pruned, shortened, trimmed

ambiguous, indeterminate, nebulous, nondescript, sketchy, vague

bird's-eye, broad, general, nonspecific, overall, unspecified
Antonyms of circumstantial

compendious, summary

Synonym Discussion of circumstantial

circumstantial, minute, particular, detailed mean dealing with a matter fully and usually point by point. circumstantial implies fullness of detail that fixes something described in time and space.
    • a circumstantial account of our visit
minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.
    • a minute examination of a fossil
particular implies a precise attention to every detail.
    • a particular description of the scene of the crime
detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.
    • a detailed analysis of the event

Learn More about circumstantial

  1. Dictionary: Definition of circumstantial Spanish Central: Translation of circumstantial Nglish: Translation of circumstantial for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of circumstantial for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up circumstantial? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

prestigious

esteemed in general opinion

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. feckless Former RNC chair derides Trump

  2. emergency, national emergency Trump declares crisis over wall

  3. apoplectic Bezos writes post about Pecker

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games