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.
The project was funded by Croydon Council as a public asset, and a change in building regulations meant it "fought against five or six circumstantial elements beyond the normal challenges".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
As investigators awaited the results of the DNA test, they gathered circumstantial evidence.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
“This case is drenched with circumstantial evidence,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 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
“You have no choice. Supposing I were to make my facts public without proof. The evidence is circumstantial enough.”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
