Did you know?
Incidental vs. Accidental
One sense of incidental is defined as "occurring merely by chance or without intention or calculation ," and one of the most common meanings of accidental in modern use is "occurring unexpectedly or by chance," so it is not surprising that the two words are sometimes confused. However, in almost all settings in which they will be found today, these words have distinct meanings. Incidental is most often used in the sense "being likely to ensue as a chance or minor consequence," or "minor" (as in "there were some incidental expenses that I paid myself").
Examples of incidental in a Sentence
Marcus D. Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
What’s more, if a shopper isn’t actually visiting a brand or retailer’s site when an AI agent makes a purchase on their behalf, the retailer may lose some incidental sales a human would consider.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 20 May 2025
David Chiu, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incidental
Cite this Entry
“Incidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incidental. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incidental
1 of 2 adjective
incidental
2 of 2 nounLegal Definition
incidental
adjective
Share