tangentially

American  

[tan-jen-shuh-lee] / tænˈdʒɛn ʃə li /

Rarely tangentally

adverb

1. in a way that barely touches or involves someone or something.

   The subject’s tempestuous first marriage is only tangentially dealt with in the biography.

2. in a way that is only slightly related or relevant.

   The novel dedicates a huge amount of space to characters and events that are, at most, tangentially connected to the main plot.

3. in a divergent or digressive way.

   Whether or not this is easier, as I have tangentially mentioned, is in fact a difficult question.

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Other Word Forms

• nontangentially
  adverb
• untangentially
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of tangentially

tangential ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tangentially

The transport sector, which tends to be associated with the non-tech part of the market, given that it includes shares of airlines, railroad operators and trucking companies, is also tangentially benefiting from AI growth.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

Anyone who’s followed Soderbergh’s filmography, even tangentially, may not be surprised by the director’s affinity for AI.

From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026

From the bench to the C-suite, no position of honor or authority would be entrusted to anyone even tangentially connected to the madness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025

Haynes relies on photographs, clips from tangentially relevant ephemeral films and soundless remnants shot by mentor/facilitator Andy Warhol, a strategy that can be distracting and rewarding in turns.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 26, 2024

In fact, however, for the next five years nothing happened, largely because MacKaye occupied himself with refining and expanding his vision until he and it were only tangentially connected to the real world.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson