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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Dissimilar Words

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
The statute, Government Code section 8314, carries civil penalties, and violations beyond incidental use can be prosecuted as felonies. — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026 The insects also develop in quince and are reported to be incidental in plums, pears, tart cherries, and certain other members of the rose family. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
And that’s on top of costly airfare, lodging, match tickets, and other incidentals required to attend the games. — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026 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 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
  • But AppleCare One doesn't cover service fees for accidental damage.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Police are investigating the incident as an accidental death.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • Charlie Weasley is a minor character in the books and does not appear in the films, so the HBO series is straying from the movies regarding Ron Weasley’s older brother.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • If winner is deemed to be a minor under the jurisdiction of his/her residence, the prize will be awarded in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian who must execute the necessary affidavit and release and, if applicable,.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Oct. 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
  • The Sun’s gravity confines dense plasma, while terrestrial machines must create conditions for useful fusion within a much smaller space.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Ear seeding is a needle-free acupuncture technique that uses small beads held to the ear with adhesive to stimulate specific pressure points.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • Revlon’s product page describes the ink as a brow filler with a pointed applicator, available in four shades.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
  • So the two started chatting and wondered if there was a resource where they could get connected to couples having a wedding in their area who needed a seat-filler of sorts.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of filler
Adjective
  • Here's where the high diesel prices add up tough – what little hay there is, is a lot more expensive to harvest.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The prince didn’t have any luck in blocking Kelce, which comes as little surprise given the Chiefs star knows how to avoid defensive players.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of little
Noun
  • The Wednesday announcement by Sanrio’s Chinese subsidiary came just after French soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologized for remarks about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong that saw several Chinese sponsors cut ties with him.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The country's upper house of parliament voted last month to require UBS to hold 90% of Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital, or about $16 billion in extra shares, as collateral to support its foreign subsidiaries.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of subsidiary
Adjective
  • And while there are slight deviations between Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennial shopping habits, Gen Z appears to be changing the game altogether.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Made from 98-percent cotton and 2-percent spandex, these pants have a slight stretch to them along with functional front and back pockets.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 2026.

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