TANGENTIAL Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

tangential

adjective

Definition of tangential

as in irrelevant

having little to do with the matter at hand Your point is tangential to the main objective of this meeting so please save it for later.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 tangential Both that experience and his tangential involvement in the Amanda-West drama has affected his priorities going into the upcoming season, both in his love life and his friendships. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 June 2026 Other undisclosed connections are more tangential. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 15 June 2026 The Houthis made a similar threat during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and killed at least nine mariners and sank four ships in over 100 attacks, often targeting vessels with tangential or no ties to Israel. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 There have been a few tangential PigPen sightings in the state before now. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tangential

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangential

Adjective

Frequently, the drug and location are irrelevant to the price — raising questions about the roles of insurers and higher prices associated with popular plans.

— Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
But in sectors where the buyer is sophisticated—and purchases are often time-sensitive—particularly in infrastructure, industrial services, specialist logistics and even professional services, awareness from the wider public is close to irrelevant.

— Sophie Attwood, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

In any group of clouds, the one with the highest velocity as seen from Earth will be the one lying closest to a tangent point along its orbit around the galaxy.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
That means mathematicians can approximate these rotations with a straight line that touches the circle at just one point — a tangent line.

— Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 3 Dec. 2025

Definition of tangent

Adjective

The researchers synthesized two iron tetra-azaphthalocyanines in which nitrogen-containing heterocycles swapped the peripheral benzene rings in conventional iron phthalocyanine.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
For the two, relationships with men are merely peripheral to their friendship.

— Brianna J. Heath, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of peripheral

Browse Nearby Words

tangent

tangential

tangentially

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Style

“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangential. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tangential

adjective

Example Sentences

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