Synonyms of incident

incident 1 of 2

noun

ˈin(t)-sə-dənt 

1

as in event

something that happens

the odd little incident was reported in the local paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

• event
• thing
• circumstance
• episode
• occurrence
• happening
• accident
• occasion
• affair
• time
• experience
• phenomenon
• coincidence
• hap
• crisis
• emergency
• adventure
• fluke
• page
• landmark
• news
• turning point
• milestone
• freak
• juncture
• achievement
• happenstance
• deed
• co-occurrence
• milepost
• feat
• happenchance
• tidings
• exploit

2

as in accompaniment

something that is found along with something else

a teen discovering that taxes are the inevitable and evil incident of a paying job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accompaniment
• consequence
• attendant
• corollary
• concomitant
• companion
• complement
• appendage
• accessory
• obbligato
• adjunct
• counterpart
• supplement
• follow-up
• trimmings
• fellow
• mate
• fixings

incident

2 of 2

adjective

as in accompanying

Related Words

• accompanying
• attendant
• attending
• concomitant
• contemporaneous
• simultaneous
• coincidental
• contemporary
• concurrent
• synchronous
• synchronic
• coeval
• coincident
• coetaneous
• coextensive
• coexistent
• coterminous
• coexisting

Dissimilar Words

• asynchronous
• nonsimultaneous
• nonsynchronous
• noncontemporary

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

Recent Examples of incident

Noun

Walsh’s husband was out of town at the time of the incident, according to the filing. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

Ho-seok has been laid off from his job following an incident that has stunted his life and his ability to communicate with his family. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Veterinarians responded to the incident and the Equine Medical Director initiated a full post-incident review in keeping with Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) Equine Fatality Reporting Requirements. — Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 15 May 2026

Requires schools to adopt an active assailant response plan, train faculty and staff to detect and respond to mental health issues, connect students with mental health services, and establish threat management teams and to establish post-incident reunification plans. — Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026