incidental

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "incidental" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used mainly as an adjective meaning happening by chance or without intention or as a result of a separate action. You can use it to describe expenses or events that are not planned. For example: "We incurred some incidental expenses during our trip."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

When Ken Livingstone was the alternative, Johnson was attractive, and the fact that he was a Tory more incidental.

The Guardian - Opinion

Here, as everywhere, the truth leaves a breadcrumb trail through tiny, incidental details: the police's premature insistence that race wasn't a motive; the weekly paper leading with the "crackdown" on black "hawkers"; the 250 people calling for calm; the man selling "White Power" T-shirts.

The Guardian

That was an inference taken from his contribution to a debate about Regulation of Investigatory ­Powers Act, in which he said: "In a very limited range of circumstances, an authorisation under RIPA part II may render lawful conduct that would ­otherwise be criminal, if it is incidental to any conduct falling with the Act that the source is authorised to take".

The Guardian - Opinion

Throughout the course of what was to come they disagree about one or two incidental timings, but almost everything else that occurred remains closely with them.

The Guardian

"The increase in incidental diversity has to be a good thing on TV," Millichip said, adding that while it was helping she couldn't put a cash value on the impact.

The Guardian

The Arab corpses that lay strewn in the streets and along the coastline were no more than incidental colour to the Parisian spectator watching the slaughter through opera glasses from the deck of his cruise ship.

The Guardian

"This is the incidental nature of creativity, looking, watching, hearing stuff and it all goes in".

The Guardian

Because there is no formal involvement of original sources or public representatives in the decision-making process, there can be only incidental challenges to information that is delisted, and few safeguards for the public interest in information access.

The Guardian - Tech

Schumer's women are cheated on, forgotten about, and loved only for incidental reasons – an ill-advised perm, for example – unrelated to their actual selves.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Her resignation letter also makes clear that she regards the departures of Kenneth Clarke and the former attorney general Dominic Grieve in the recent reshuffle as not incidental, but symbolic of a new and more casual approach to international jurisprudence.

The Guardian

Japan understands geography differently: the trough is a mere "incidental depression".Japan's diplomats say their country "discovered" the islands in 1884.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure clarity by placing "incidental" close to the noun it modifies, avoiding ambiguity in complex sentences.

Common error

Avoid using "incidental" when you mean "essential" or "important". "Incidental" denotes something of lesser significance, not something crucial.

Linguistic Context

The word "incidental" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate something is subordinate, secondary, or not essential. As Ludwig AI confirms, it suggests a loose association or a byproduct. For example, "incidental expenses" are minor costs.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Formal & Business

29%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "incidental" is a versatile adjective used to describe something that is not essential or is subordinate to something else. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage. As shown by the examples, "incidental" frequently appears in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Remember to use it to downplay the importance of something relative to a main subject, and consider more precise alternatives if needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secondary

Emphasizes a lower level of importance or priority compared to the main subject.

minor

Highlights the small scale or limited impact of something.

unintentional

Focuses on the lack of deliberate intent behind an action or event.

unplanned

Stresses that something was not part of an original scheme or arrangement.

peripheral

Suggests that something is on the edge or not centrally involved.

nonessential

Indicates that something is not absolutely required or necessary.

subordinate

Highlights a lower rank or position in a hierarchy.

extraneous

Implies that something is not relevant or essential to the main subject.

attendant

Indicates something that accompanies or is associated with something else.

byproduct

Focuses on something that is produced as a side effect of a main process.

FAQs

How can I use "incidental" in a sentence?

Use "incidental" to describe something that happens as a minor consequence or accompaniment to something else. For example, "The cost of the frame was "incidental" compared to the price of the painting".

What's a good alternative to the word "incidental"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "secondary", "minor", or "extraneous".

Is it correct to say something is "incidentally" related?

Yes, "incidentally" is the adverb form of "incidental" and can be used to describe something that is related in a non-essential or indirect way.

What is the difference between "incidental" and "accidental"?

"Incidental" implies a minor or subordinate occurrence, while "accidental" suggests something happening by chance or unintentionally. The nuance lies in the degree of importance and causality.