1
as in accidental
happening by chance
an incidental meeting of two ships in the middle of the Atlantic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
as in nonessential
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of incidental
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
Snider argued in the post that the similarities between the paintings could not be possibly be incidental.
—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
18 June 2026
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
Adjective
That contradiction was not incidental to the founding.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
Snider argued in the post that the similarities between the paintings could not be possibly be incidental.
—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
18 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
Adjective
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Always turn off the electricity and water supply line and remove nearby light fixtures when dealing with bursting ceiling pipes to avoid accidental electrocution.
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In fact, the two met via an accidental Instagram follow.
Adjective
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The driver of the pickup suffered minor injuries and declined the offer to be transported to a nearby hospital.
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After signing a minor-league deal earlier in the month, outfielder Jarred Kelenic was entered into the Texas Rangers’ starting lineup in the 6-4 extra-innings loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Globe Life Field.
Noun
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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.
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Noun
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Ubie Health warns that overeating gummies can mean extra sugar, calories and fillers, while under-dosing can blunt the strength and performance benefits people expect.
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Made with real fruit and berry purees, the gel and gummies are vegan, non-GMO, and free from unnecessary fillers.
Adjective
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There, officers found the little girl with severe, life-threatening injuries.
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Contrary to popular belief, the central bank has little influence over home loan rates.
Noun
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The funds raised will be used to pare the debt of the company’s subsidiary, Reliance Jio Infocomm, which is India’s largest wireless operator.
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Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences has begun installing the wings on the X-65, an experimental drone developed under DARPA’s Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program.
Adjective
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The Emmys’ producers passing up on even the slightest possibility of a Werner Herzog acceptance speech is sheer lunacy.
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The team has improved so much that its 1-1 draw against powerhouse Brazil was a slight disappointment.
Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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