incidental 1 of 2

adjective

ˌin(t)-sə-ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce incidental (audio)
Definition of incidentalnext
1
as in accidental
happening by chance an incidental meeting of two ships in the middle of the Atlantic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
lacking importance we still have to work out a few incidental details, but the proposal is largely complete

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

incidental

2 of 2

noun

as in nonessential

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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 incidental
Adjective
Runlayer’s timing isn’t incidental. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Adams offered two incidental new piano pieces and one for string quartet containing his characteristic rhythmic excitement and melodic eloquence. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Noun
Officials ruled the hit incidental, though Olszewski left the game and didn’t return with a head injury. — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 4 Dec. 2025 As any Spinal Tap fan can attest, the choice of location for the band's swan song is far from incidental. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incidental
  1. accidental
  2. minor
  3. nonessential
  4. small
  5. filler
  6. little
  7. subsidiary
  8. slight
Adjective
  • Chomentowski lost her son in 2020 to an accidental drug overdose.
    — Brianna Wallen, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
  • Police said Rushing's cause of death was likely an accidental drowning.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • On Thursday, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged Ramon with lewd and lascivious acts on a minor, police said.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
  • Many of those convicted committed only minor offenses, such as traffic violations, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.
    — Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of minor
Noun
  • Anything deemed nonessential would be put on hold, so Americans could experience delays with certain services and hundreds of thousands of federal workers will go without pay.
    — Caitlyn Kim, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of nonessential
Adjective
  • In contrast, instruments on the FireSat satellites will be able to detect small brush and roadside fires 16 feet across.
    — Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • At the Cannes Film Festival in May, the model Toni Garrn made a striking appearance in a blue-black bustier dress embroidered with small petals.
    — Amy Verner, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • The show frontloads big episodes at the start of a season and then ends with a bang, leaving us with too many filler episodes between.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • The portrait in the digital gallery squares off her face and provides an artistic rhinoplasty and lip filler.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of filler
Adjective
  • There may be shitty people afoot in Independence, but not in that little house, not tonight.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
  • The Lost Legends videos demonstrate that, as with anything artistic, the talent of creator is crucial to success in AI so, ironically, Hollywood has little to fear from the technology.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of little
Noun
  • If cityhood comes to fruition, the community services district could become a subsidiary of the city, according to the staff report.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • Abnormal Studios, a subsidiary of Westec Media Limited, releases some 100 titles annually across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mongolia and Nepal.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 July 2026
Definition of subsidiary
Adjective
  • In 2024, roughly 48,800 Americans died by suicide, a slight decrease from the peak of nearly 49,500 deaths in this manner in 2022.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Matching trousers stayed narrow through the hips before loosening down the leg into a slight flare.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026
Definition of slight

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Cite this Entry

“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of incidental for Spanish Speakers

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