incident 1 of 2

incident

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word incident distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of incident are circumstance, episode, event, and occurrence. While all these words mean "something that happens or takes place," incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance.

a minor wartime incident

When would circumstance be a good substitute for incident?

In some situations, the words circumstance and incident are roughly equivalent. However, circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background.

couldn't recall the exact circumstances

When can episode be used instead of incident?

The words episode and incident can be used in similar contexts, but episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident.

a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work

In what contexts can event take the place of incident?

While the synonyms event and incident are close in meaning, event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause.

the events following the assassination

When might occurrence be a better fit than incident?

While in some cases nearly identical to incident, occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan.

an encounter that was a chance occurrence

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 incident
Noun
The Department of Energy’s order is effective through 10 a.m. on Christmas Day, and grid operators are to provide detailed reporting to the Energy Department and complete a post-incident special environmental analysis, a department spokesperson said in an email. Dallas News, 24 Dec. 2022 At Black Hat, the researchers argued that this strategy should also be applied to cyber-incident investigations. Kim Key, PCMAG, 11 Aug. 2022
Adjective
State prosecutors had also hinted at an ongoing investigation in the months after the incident, including at the April hearing during which he was bound over for trial. Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 7 Oct. 2025 The incident likely would not have surfaced publicly had The Free Press not obtained and published parts of the audio from the internal meeting. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incident
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incident
Noun
  • This event will be the first of three supermoons in 2025, with others in November and December.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Top 10 events in Cincinnati this weekend – Lions and pumpkins and beers (oh my).
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Choir and band students offered musical accompaniment in the expansive common area while school leaders spoke about the school's history, the construction project and the opportunities students will have in the new facility.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Much of what Sphere presents will turn up in various iterations across AMC properties – making for a spooky accompaniment to 650 hours of bespoke programs.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • It has been used over 50 million times already, Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, said in an accompanying video.
    Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
  • From there the phrase has exploded with TikTokers and even some Reddit users finding ways to incorporate the term and its accompanying hand gestures into their content.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • What’s the most rewarding thing for you about being a journalist?
    Nicole Young, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
  • If things are open deep, Sayin can take shots.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Variety is maintaining a log of all the other editions and their attendant cover art; most were only available at Swift’s webstore and sold out almost immediately upon being announced for sale.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
  • For many Americans, sports fandom is almost akin to a religious experience, with all the attendant emotions that go along with it.
    Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But could circumstances lead to the Dodgers using Ohtani sooner?
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
  • She's also found ways for students to help in tragic circumstances before.
    John Wisely, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • New episodes will drop exclusively on the streaming services each Wednesday through the end of the month.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The actress and singer appeared to be caught off guard during Monday's episode of Today after interviewer Melvin bluntly noted that the filming the movie coincided with the finalization of her divorce from Ben Affleck, who executive-produced the musical, earlier this year.
    Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The West persisted as a meaningful geopolitical concept and entity even after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its concomitant East.
    Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
  • President Trump attended an important summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and concomitant energy infrastructure at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on July 15th, 2025.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Incident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incident. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on incident

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