circumstantial
Americanadjective
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relating to or derived from circumstances.
a circumstantial result;
circumstantial evidence.
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of the nature of a circumstance or minor detail; nonessential; secondary.
of circumstantial importance.
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dealing with or giving circumstances; detailed; particular.
a circumstantial report of a business conference.
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pertaining to conditions of material welfare.
adjective
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of or dependent on circumstances
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fully detailed
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incidental
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of circumstantial
1590–1600; < Latin circumstanti ( a ) circumstance + -al 1
Explanation
Circumstantial is a word that refers to specific details about something: in other words, about circumstances. Circumstantial evidence might implicate someone's guilt, but it certainly doesn't prove them guilty. The word circumstances refers to the facts of your life: everyone has different circumstances. So the word circumstantial refers to the specific details of some situation. This word is most often heard in the term circumstantial evidence, which you may have heard on a TV crime or trial program. Circumstantial evidence might lead a detective to suspect someone's guilt, but eyewitness testimony may be needed to convince the jury.
Vocabulary lists containing circumstantial
The Great Gatsby
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As investigators awaited the results of the DNA test, they gathered circumstantial evidence.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
"We know that the defendant is the shooter… first, because of the video evidence; second, because of the DNA; third, because of his admissions; and fourth, because of circumstantial evidence," McBride said.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Defence lawyers had argued the prosecution's case, which relied on the video footage as well as clothing identification, was "wholly circumstantial".
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
The system is not as comprehensive as full patient health records, and clinicians may not always include key words about “fire,” “smoke” or other circumstantial information in their diagnoses, the public health department said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
When Quintilian says that circumstantial evidence can take the place of a witness, later lawyers took him as authorizing it to be considered as half of a complete proof.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
