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
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Recent Examples of incidental
Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
The parallel to KiroRank is not incidental.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 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
The parks themselves aren’t incidental; there are more than 2,000 across the city.
—Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
The parallel to KiroRank is not incidental.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 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
-
In a joint statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday, the Defiance County Sheriff's Office and the Defiance County Prosecutor's Office said the boy died in an accidental shooting on Saturday.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
Lineage Logistics has previously been accused of failing to comply with safety regulations to prevent the accidental release of anhydrous ammonia.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The dog and another dog of theirs that came outside when the woman first opened the door are expected to recover from minor injuries suffered.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
OpenAI was reportedly served with a subpoena seeking information about its approach to advertising, consumer and health data, minor and senior users and models, among other activities.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
After selling baklava at the Stock Show, the Unlus rented their first resraurant space in a small Eighth Avenue food hall.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
The Virgo moon asks you to focus on the small tasks.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
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.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
Fertilize with general-purpose products and pair dahlias with early-blooming fillers and spillers for vibrant container displays.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sandia Mountain, the aerial tramway to the peak, the fancy resort and casino, but don’t sleep on little Pueblo of Isleta south of town.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
For all of its massive successes, and for all of the fame, money, and love generated by this Broadway juggernaut, 125 years later the biggest lasting impact of Florodora is this spicy and fruity little cocktail, created for one particular girl in a particularly imperious mood.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Lowes Foods is a subsidiary of Alex Lee, based in Hickory.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
-
Most are controlled by large holding companies, such as NextEra Energy, which customers know through subsidiaries such as Florida Power and Light and Dominion Energy, which operates local subsidiaries in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah.—
Conor Harrison,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
As long as the overall drink remains sufficiently boozy, cocktails that contain citrus—such as margaritas, daiquiris, and cosmopolitans—can also work well or just require a few slight tweaks.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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