as in detailed
including many small descriptive features
the circumstantial account of his surgery told us more than we really wanted to know about the stomach
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Recent Examples of circumstantial
In the decades since his conviction and death sentence, almost every pillar of the circumstantial case against him has crumbled.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike direct evidence, such as eyewitnesses or recordings of a crime, circumstantial cases require jurors to determine a defendant’s guilt by weaving together indirect evidence.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026
During closing arguments last week, prosecutors acknowledged the evidence presented in the case was circumstantial.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
My evidence was circumstantial at best—very dark hair, a certain visual intensity, and, admittedly, intuition doing most of the heavy lifting.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumstantial
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike direct evidence, such as eyewitnesses or recordings of a crime, circumstantial cases require jurors to determine a defendant’s guilt by weaving together indirect evidence.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026
During closing arguments last week, prosecutors acknowledged the evidence presented in the case was circumstantial.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
My evidence was circumstantial at best—very dark hair, a certain visual intensity, and, admittedly, intuition doing most of the heavy lifting.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumstantial
Adjective
-
Property appraisers in Broward and Palm Beach counties have come up with their own detailed analysis showing the impact.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
That distinction helps explain why federal agencies appear willing to collaborate with AI developers through voluntary testing programs while simultaneously maintaining detailed compliance frameworks for crypto firms.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
To their credit, though, their preparation for the World Cup has been thorough, with friendlies against Ecuador, Colombia, Norway and Poland, among others.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
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Instead of relying on wearables alone, Poindexter is making sure to get her yearly physical and signed up for Function, which includes more thorough blood and biomarker testing.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, my niece is ready and the potty full of pee is passed above the table because there is no room to carry it around the side without spilling on the guests.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
That new chapter quickly turned into a full-fledged sequel, and Girls Like Us was born.—
Jennifer Dugan,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumstantial. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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