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.
“Natural resources,” incidentally, is a broader category that goes beyond just energy stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Two months have since passed, and he’s still offered no explanation for his appearance, which incidentally only affirms suspicions.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
“Could a cruise member have been cleaning up an area and incidentally aerosolized some rodent droppings?” said Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional physician chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
DCL incidentally should have been booked for diving in the box.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
Her son squatted beside Grey Wind, ruffling the wolf's fur and incidentally avoiding her eyes.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
