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
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 19 Dec. 2025
The alignment with screenwriters and craftspeople was just incidental.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
That’s nearly $500,000 in revenue per home game just on incidentals.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidental
Adjective
Advertisement The invocation of God is not incidental.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 19 Dec. 2025
The alignment with screenwriters and craftspeople was just incidental.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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
That’s nearly $500,000 in revenue per home game just on incidentals.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incidental
Adjective
-
Add an extra rinse cycle if using chlorine bleach to prevent accidental bleaching of fabrics.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The actor's cause of death was later revealed to be an accidental overdose.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This includes refusing to follow crew instructions about seating assignments, escalating complaints with nearby passengers—such as disputes over arm rests, seat kicking, or reclining—or otherwise turning a minor annoyance into a confrontation.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Six other people sustained minor injuries in the collision.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 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
-
Carry a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket and additional warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Jan. 2026
-
In fact, sometimes smaller heaters can match or outperform larger units, depending on their design.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Other times, the sketch itself doesn't hit with the audience, but the filler dialogue or comedic actions do.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Freeman says most of the onion powders available at the grocery store are mixed with fillers and anti-caking agents.—
Laura Manzano,
Martha Stewart,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In contrast to the surge in opioid fatality numbers of the past decade, deaths attributable to cocaine have shown little increase.—
Charles LeBaron,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Chinese tech giant Baidu recently also announced plans to spin off its AI chip subsidiary, Kunlunxin , and list it in Hong Kong.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
-
In 2017, at the height of the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis when Rodríguez was foreign minister, Caracas donated half a million dollars to Trump’s inauguration committee through its oil subsidiary CITGO4.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The ice punishes the slightest miscalculations, demands the sharpest of focus.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
One report found there may be a slight benefit to moderate drinking, while the other concluded that even one drink a day was linked to a wide range of harms.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incidental. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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