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
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Recent Examples of incidental
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Charles, of course, sees his wealth as incidental to his main role, which is to wield soft political power.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Unless expressly stated, transportation, ground transfers, meals, gratuities, incidentals, resort or facility fees, security deposits, and all other expenses are the sole responsibility of the winner.
—Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidental
Adjective
Sink habits that prevent stains and clogs Sinks take more abuse than almost any other fixture in the bathroom, between toothpaste, hair products, makeup, skincare and incidental hair from grooming.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Charles, of course, sees his wealth as incidental to his main role, which is to wield soft political power.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
Unless expressly stated, transportation, ground transfers, meals, gratuities, incidentals, resort or facility fees, security deposits, and all other expenses are the sole responsibility of the winner.
—Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incidental
Adjective
-
The sturdy, durable case offers a water-resistant fabric, which is great for accidental coffee spills amid the airport security line.—
Sarah DiMuro,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
-
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed his death to an accidental ketamine overdose and said drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine — used to treat opioid use disorder — were factors.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
After seeking out a nearby fishmonger and calculating what this ingredient would cost me (a precious $30 per pound), I was left with a minor headache.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
-
Richards opened the season in Philadelphia’s minor-league system, made nine appearances at the Triple-A level, was called up to the parent club on April 30 and pitched twice for the Phillies before he was traded to the Sox on Tuesday.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 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
-
Eggs, sushi, and crypto The account paid attention to smaller stories, too.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
East is a boutique hotel, some condos, and a small residential neighborhood with a few local restaurants.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Popular treatments in Thailand include Botox and dermal fillers, laser hair removal, skin tightening procedures such as Oligio, advanced facial and dermatology services and traditional spa and holistic therapies.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
-
There are no fillers, no preservatives, no frozen dough.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The hearts and minds of Braves players were on Bobby Cox on a sunny evening at Dodger Stadium before the middle game of a three-game series against the Dodgers — a game that meant very little, considering the news of the day.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
-
The peas themselves are piled like cabochons over a thin pastry shell, dressed in a tart citrus vinaigrette and studded with slivers of pickled shallots that deliver bracing little sparks of brine against the crisp sweetness of the legumes.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
In 2016, Keel founded the subsidiary Diogenes Entertainment and has since been attached to numerous film and series productions as an executive producer.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
Those John Does operate large-scale robocall and telemarketing campaigns that misuse trademarks for Capital One or its subsidiary Discover, according to the lawsuit.—
Stephanie Dhue,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
After the unremarkable Chip Kelly recruiting era, which begat a slight bump under DeShaun Foster, what first-year coach Bob Chesney has done, before coaching a game, has been downright remarkable.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
-
The video shows slight puffs of smoke from the Sea Star’s smokestack, and then darker smoke rising from it after the strike.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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