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.
“So-called ‘no body’ cases are some of the most difficult to prove because they rely so heavily on circumstantial evidence.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
Instead, it is wholly contingent and circumstantial, defined by what serves his own self-interest and corrupt needs and wants at any given moment.
From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026
Five witnesses gave indirect circumstantial evidence that supported Murley's claim he was not taken seriously.
From BBC • Jan. 22, 2026
“It is like circumstantial evidence in a Sherlock Holmes mystery,” said Slok.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
Based on leads from informants and from circumstantial evidence, the private detectives began to develop a crystalline theory of the crime.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
