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

“The First All-Star Game” loses steam by devoting too many pages to episodes only tangentially connected to the event.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Peirano brought along his friend Pablo Ilabaca, the guitarist and composer of Chilean rock band Chancho en Piedra, who tangentially had created tracks that could work for the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2025

We meet spouses and children, some of whom are more enthusiastic than others about being tangentially pulled into the Real Housewives vortex.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025

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