incidental

American  

[in-si-den-tl] / ˌɪn sɪˈdɛn tl /

adjective

1. happening or likely to happen in an unplanned or subordinate conjunction with something else.

   Synonyms:

   contingent, fortuitous, chance, casual

   Antonyms:

   fundamental

2. incurred casually and in addition to the regular or main amount.

   incidental expenses.

3. likely to happen or naturally appertaining (usually followed byto ).

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noun

1. something incidental, as a circumstance.

2. incidentals, minor expenses.

incidental British  

/ ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl /

adjective

1. happening in connection with or resulting from something more important; casual or fortuitous

2. found in connection (with); related (to)

3. caused (by)

4. occasional or minor

   incidental expenses

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noun

1. (often plural) an incidental or minor expense, event, or action

Other Word Forms

• incidentalness
  noun
• nonincidental
  adjective
• unincidental
  adjective
• nonincidentally
  adverb
• unincidentally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of incidental

First recorded in 1610–20; incident + -al ¹

Explanation

Incidental means secondary in time or importance. If you lose weight because you moved and must walk further to school, the weight loss was incidental to the move. When something is incidental, it is never the main thing. It's okay to include incidental details as they can add depth to your storytelling, but they are never crucial to the story. A company might pay your main expenses when you travel for business but will probably not reimburse you for the incidental ones. The music you hear between acts of a play is called incidental. It's not crucial to the action, but it makes the waiting easier.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

incidental

That total wasn’t immediately clear, but when the suit was filed in 2023, she reportedly was suing for damages as well as all medical and incidental expenses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Courts are sometimes more forgiving of burdens on speech when the real focus of a law is conduct, and when any restriction on speech is minor and incidental.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026

But they couldn't get alternative rooms for two solicitors, though the email stressed the pair also took steps to avoid any "incidental contact".

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

The timing of the funeral wasn’t incidental, Bajoghli said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Elaine, who had never been more than an incidental part of the muddle, had achieved a peace of her own.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• accidental
• ancillary
• casual
• coincidental
• random
• secondary