had an incidental

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had an incidental" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to refer to something that occurred by chance or as a minor consequence, but it lacks clarity and proper context. Example: "During the meeting, we had an incidental discussion about future projects that sparked new ideas."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

In addition, our patient had an incidental focus of adenocarcinoma in the initial cyst.

Surgical Case Reports

Three exhibited non-granulomatous anterior uveitis with posterior synechiae, one of whom had an incidental chronic peripheral corneal degeneration on the involved eye.

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

To increase the size of the hides, the Creole (local) breed was crossed with Nubian, a practice that must have had an incidental impact on milk production.

Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice

Because the challenged law was not directed specifically against religion, it could constitutionally be applied to Mormons even though it had an incidental effect on the freedom of Mormons to act in accord with their religious beliefs.

Huffington Post

She also had an incidental finding of thin glomerular basement membranes on electron microscopy.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

In another study, 4.4 % of young, healthy volunteers had an incidental brain finding [ 10].

Acta Neurochirurgica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

The hunt for the killer has an incidental literary spin-off.

The Guardian

Though created for scientific reasons, said Dr. Timothy G. Bromage, a professor at Hunter College in New York, such digitized images have an incidental quality: beauty.

The New York Times - Science

Michell doesn't have Spielberg's skill; his film has an incidental openness, that of the filmmaker who isn't good enough to fit things together tightly, but who, as a result, lets in some air.

The New Yorker

From the very start of Eastwood's directorial career ("Play Misty for Me"), the conflict between public image and private identity is a morally decisive fault line, and the demagogue, who doesn't just have an incidental public image but takes pride in it and seeks to derive advantage from it, is a singular villain.

The New Yorker

The problem is, a mutation in the RYR2 gene doesn't always mean a person will have CPVT, and having an incidental RYR2 gene is much more common than being diagnosed with CPVT.

Duke University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an event or finding that occurred by chance, consider using more precise and grammatically standard alternatives such as "chance occurrence", "unexpected finding", or "unintended consequence" for clarity and improved writing quality.

Common error

Do not use the phrase "had an incidental" without careful consideration of the context. It can be unclear and may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Instead, opt for clearer alternatives that directly indicate the nature of the event or finding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had an incidental" functions as a verb phrase aiming to describe an event or finding that occurred unexpectedly or as a secondary result. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it's considered non-standard English, making it less effective in conveying its intended meaning.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "had an incidental" appears in various sources, including some reputable ones, it's considered grammatically incorrect and less clear than alternative expressions. Ludwig AI highlights the non-standard nature of this phrase. When aiming to express that something happened by chance or as a secondary consequence, consider using more precise and widely accepted alternatives such as "experienced a chance occurrence", "stumbled upon an unexpected discovery", or "observed an unintended consequence" to enhance clarity and credibility in writing. The usage is uncommon, mostly used in science and news & media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experienced a chance occurrence

Replaces "had an incidental" with a more direct indication of an event happening by chance.

encountered an accidental finding

Uses "accidental" to emphasize the unexpected nature of the finding.

detected a fortuitous result

Highlights the positive or lucky aspect of an unplanned outcome.

stumbled upon an unexpected discovery

Suggests a more unplanned and surprising finding.

observed an unintended consequence

Focuses on the result being an unplanned outcome of something else.

noticed a coincidental event

Emphasizes the simultaneous and unplanned nature of the occurrence.

found something inadvertently

Highlights the lack of intention in the act of finding something.

recognized an adventitious circumstance

Uses a more formal term to describe a chance or external factor.

came across a random incidence

Stresses the randomness and lack of pattern in the occurrence.

witnessed an unpredicted situation

Points out the unforeseen nature of the situation encountered.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "had an incidental"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "experienced a "chance occurrence"", "encountered an "accidental finding"", or "observed an "unintended consequence"".

Is "had an incidental" grammatically correct?

While the phrase "had an incidental" may be used in some contexts, it's not considered standard English. Using more precise and grammatically correct alternatives can improve clarity.

How can I use "unexpected discovery" instead of "had an incidental"?

Instead of saying "We had an incidental discovery during the experiment", you can say "We "stumbled upon an unexpected discovery" during the experiment", which clearly conveys the unplanned nature of the finding.

What's the difference between "had an incidental" and "experienced a chance occurrence"?

"Experienced a "chance occurrence"" is a clearer and more grammatically standard way of expressing that an event happened by chance, whereas "had an incidental" is less common and potentially ambiguous.