incidentally
Americanadverb
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apart or aside from the main subject of attention, discussion, etc.; by the way; parenthetically.
Incidentally, while you were waiting for the officer to run your registration through the system, did you notice if the post office was open?
-
in the course of something else, and not intentionally.
The bone fractures were discovered only incidentally, during an unrelated CT scan of her chest.
adverb
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as a subordinate or chance occurrence
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(sentence modifier) by the way
Etymology
Origin of incidentally
First recorded in 1655–65; incidental + -ly
Explanation
Incidentally is a word you use when you've got more to say on a topic or want to transition into a new subject. Think of the word incidentally as a more formal way to say "by the way." Incidentally can also mean "by chance" if you want to remark on a coincidence. Sometimes, things just happen by chance, like you and your friend showing up at the same place incidentally. Incidentally, the word ends in lly so don't forget to throw that extra l in there!
Vocabulary lists containing incidentally
The Outsiders
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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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 private-sector unionization rate in the U.S. is still less than 6%, which incidentally is about the percentage of Starbucks stores now unionized.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Colorado argued that its statute does not meaningfully implicate the First Amendment because it regulates conduct and only incidentally burdens speech.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
For this, incidentally, you have to go through the process of signing up for a Kalshi account, including the usual anti-money-laundering rules.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026
The Steelers, incidentally, take a receiver in this mock — and there are lots of talented prospects at that spot, too.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
I had quite a lot to ponder as I sat on that airplane, and incidentally I still had to pee.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
