incidental relationship

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incidental relationship" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a relationship that is secondary or not central to the main focus of a discussion or context. Example: "The study revealed an incidental relationship between the two variables, suggesting that their connection was not significant."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In this case, however, there is evidence that the religious orientation of voters has a direct rather than incidental relationship with the outcome of the vote.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Skinner's incidental relationships with women - a doomed engagement with one, an office fling with another - are particularly well drawn, the ebb and flow of emotion set down with powerful precision, the sex scenes vividly expressive of the psychological essence of each encounter.

The Guardian - Books

This pattern is also found in tasks with incidental relationships between sound and location (Maybery et al. 2009) and color and location (Jiang et al. 2000).

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica

While participants were not explicitly asked about loneliness the interview data demonstrates a degree of isolation and the importance of casual and incidental relationships.

BMC Health Services Research

But because association does not necessarily indicate causation, and to determine if the association observed herein is other than incidental, such relationship must be tested using other study designs, such as public policy-guided interventions abroad and/or with larger samples, as long as comparable age and sex strata and drug therapy options are considered.

Clinical interventions in aging

For example, the fact that "paixãoisAfeeling" does not imply that "crime passionalisAfeeling". Pragmatic semantic relationships as functional, causal, incidental or motivational relationships commonly give rise to characteristics that are attributed from adjective to noun.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

The Fact We Almost Killed a Badger Is Incidental paints a relationship falling apart because "I still could not have sat through one more night of silence".

The Guardian - Books

Its strengths lie in the incidental detail, and the relationship between Dorff and the excellent Elle Fanning has the ring of truth.

The Guardian - Film

Let's wait and see which of these other factors prove applicable: "absence of an able-bodied person to intervene," "incidental or no familiar relationship of victims with dogs," "compromised ability of victims to interact appropriately with dogs," "owners' prior mismanagement of dogs," and "owners' history of abuse or neglect of dogs".

Huffington Post

A recent study found that the most common reason to obtain an MRI scan in children was in the setting of an accidental head injury [ 11], and in all cases the incidental finding bore no relationship with the patient's head injury.

Acta Neurochirurgica

It was not possible to show that these relationships were incidental, but further investigation is required to establish whether they are causal.

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "incidental relationship", ensure that the context clearly establishes the primary relationship to which it is secondary. This helps avoid confusion and emphasizes the relative importance of the connections being discussed.

Common error

Avoid using "incidental relationship" when the connection is actually central or important. This diminishes the impact of your analysis and can mislead the reader about the key factors at play.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incidental relationship" functions as an adjective-noun combination. It describes the nature of a relationship as being secondary, non-essential, or occurring as a byproduct of something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incidental relationship" is used to describe a connection that is secondary, non-essential, or occurs as a byproduct. It's grammatically correct, as noted by Ludwig, and commonly found in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly defines the primary relationship to avoid confusion. Alternatives like "secondary connection" or "peripheral association" can be used to convey similar meanings. The frequency of the expression is uncommon, as Ludwig AI shows.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secondary connection

Focuses on the subordinate nature of the link, emphasizing its lower importance compared to other connections.

peripheral association

Highlights the marginal or less significant nature of the association.

minor correlation

Emphasizes a weak or less important statistical relationship.

indirect link

Focuses on the circuitous or mediated nature of the connection.

non-essential link

Stresses that the connection is not crucial or necessary.

tangential relevance

Indicates a connection that is only indirectly related to the main subject.

casual association

Underscores the lack of a strong or direct connection.

superficial connection

Highlights the lack of depth or substance in the relationship.

extraneous association

Suggests that the association is not inherent or essential to the situation.

fortuitous relationship

Emphasizes the accidental or chance nature of the relationship.

FAQs

How can I use "incidental relationship" in a sentence?

You can use "incidental relationship" to describe a connection that is secondary or not essential to the main focus. For example, "The study revealed an incidental relationship between exercise and sleep quality, suggesting other factors were more significant."

What are some alternatives to "incidental relationship"?

Alternatives include "secondary connection", "peripheral association", or "minor correlation" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "incidental relationship" and "causal relationship"?

Yes, a "causal relationship" implies a direct cause-and-effect link, while an "incidental relationship" suggests a connection that is secondary or not directly responsible for the outcome. If you need to demonstrate a direct cause use "causal relationship", otherwise keep "incidental relationship".

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "incidental relationship"?

Use "incidental relationship" when you want to downplay the importance of a connection, indicating it's a secondary factor or a side effect rather than a primary driver.