Synonyms of circumstantial

circumstantial

adjective

ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan(t)-shəl 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detailed
• thorough
• full
• particularized
• particular
• elaborate
• descriptive
• comprehensive
• specific
• accurate
• minute
• blow-by-blow
• graphical
• entire
• precise
• abundant
• copious
• explicit
• vivid
• graphic
• distinct
• exhaustive
• complete
• itemized
• panoramic
• exact
• thoroughgoing
• enumerated
• specified
• correct
• inclusive
• exhausting
• listed
• encyclopedic
• replete
• picturesque
• in-depth
• delineated
• numerated
• omnibus
• inventoried
• inclusionary
• sharp
• mapped (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• summary
• brief
• compendious
• short
• succinct
• concise
• pithy
• terse
• ambiguous
• vague
• compact
• crisp
• curtailed
• nebulous
• sketchy
• general
• indeterminate
• cut
• abridged
• abbreviated
• nonspecific
• broad
• nondescript
• trimmed
• unspecified
• overall
• shortened
• pruned
• bird's-eye

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective circumstantial differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of circumstantial are detailed, minute, and particular. While all these words 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

When could detailed be used to replace circumstantial?

The meanings of detailed and circumstantial largely overlap; however, detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.

a detailed analysis of the event

When is minute a more appropriate choice than circumstantial?

In some situations, the words minute and circumstantial are roughly equivalent. However, minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.

a minute examination of a fossil

When can particular be used instead of circumstantial?

The synonyms particular and circumstantial are sometimes interchangeable, but particular implies a precise attention to every detail.

a particular description of the scene of the crime

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of circumstantial

And a lot of that stuff is circumstantial, is based on circumstances. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025

Gudsen weaves stories, reframes evidence, accuses Michelle of bias, and dismisses the glove bearing his DNA as circumstantial. —Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025

The finding that follicular fluid contained more microplastics than semen may be circumstantial, Gómez-Sánchez added, because the study group was small. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 1 July 2025

The evidence against Clair was largely circumstantial, including a claim by Clair’s ex-girlfriend who testified that Clair had shown her items taken from the house during the killing. —Sean Emery, Oc Register, 2 June 2025