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

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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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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
Roughly 15% to 30% of all diagnostic imaging in adult patients contains at least one incidental finding, according to Matthew Davenport, MD, a radiologist at the University of Michigan. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 The blue-collar aesthetic of our city, after all, is really just incidental to our blue-collar ethic. — Will Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 18 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
  • Healthcare workers will often wear personal protective equipment, such as an N95 mask, or even a full body suit in case of accidental exposure.
    — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • His death at 33 was ruled accidental, but rumors persist drugs played a role.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • The bus and a security checkpoint booth were damaged, and one border service employee suffered minor injuries, police said.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In the 120 years that the State Russian Museum has owned the painting, only minor conservation has been carried out.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 6 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
  • Only about a dozen countries have active programs, including small Caribbean island states.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The treasurer’s office says the administrative cost of processing very small payments can exceed their value.
    — Mark Lewyn, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • With efficacy and affordability top of mind, Skin Union’s product boast ph-balancing, and filler-free formulas suitable for all skin types, and all under $30.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Smart punctuation auto-improves punctuation and removes filler words to help clean up the resulting text.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of filler
Adjective
  • But little progress has been made towards implementing a deal to end the conflict, which includes terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Salem witch trials of 1692 carved out an enduring and powerful niche in American history for this little town, and this intimate, kitschy museum does an excellent job telling the story.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of little
Noun
  • Abnormal Studios, a subsidiary of Westec Media Limited, has been acquiring and releasing films since 2020 across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mongolia and Nepal, among other markets.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Sony Pictures Entertainment has unveiled a new division of its Crunchryroll anime subsidiary, Crunchyroll Storyworks.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of subsidiary
Adjective
  • Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, has won the seat in six of the last seven elections despite the district’s slight Democratic tilt.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In their paper from September, Minzer and his colleagues proved a slight variant of Khot’s second conjecture that has nearly the same consequences.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 7 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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