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

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

Secrets abound among the characters whose brief encounter at a New York emergency room sets action across decades in motion: Ivan and Eddie, as well as Cara and Nina, are only tangentially connected.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From BBC

In these bumpers, the cast of a “Housewives” show line up next to one another and hold up an object that tangentially relates to whatever city the cast lives in.

From Salon

I think the show tangentially touches on that little bit.

From Los Angeles Times