coincidental
Americanadjective
-
happening by or resulting from coincidence; by chance.
a coincidental meeting.
-
existing or occurring at the same time.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of coincidental
First recorded in 1790–1800; coincident + -al 1
Explanation
Things that are coincidental take place at the same time, but there isn't any connection. It's just chance — a coincidence. Sometimes things seem connected because they happen at the same time, but they really aren't: they're just coincidental. A sports fan might have a lucky shirt he wears to bring his team luck. But, if his team wins, that's just coincidental. Shirts, unfortunately, don't influence game outcomes. Coincidental is the opposite of causal, which means one thing directly causing another to happen. When coincidental things happen — like a friend calls just when you were thinking of her — it's just luck or chance.
Vocabulary lists containing coincidental
Catching Fire
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Through My Eyes
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Every Soul a Star
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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 military is not coincidental to this project — it is central to it.
From Salon • May 3, 2026
The timing of the announcement with Tax Day is not coincidental, as most sign-ups happen while people are filing their taxes.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
The timing is both coincidental and unfortunate but he is due back after the international break.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Together, these clues suggest that the Sun's present location is not simply coincidental.
From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026
In fact, reporters covering the race noted how coincidental it was that Man o’ War should lose to a horse with such a name.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
