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").

INCIDENTAL definition: happening or likely to happen in an unplanned or subordinate conjunction with something else. See examples of incidental used in a sentence.

INCIDENTAL definition: 1. less important than the thing something is connected with or part of: 2. directly connected…. Learn more.

Occurring or likely to occur as an unpredictable or minor consequence: "the principle that even annoying, intrusive, and offensive speech is to be protected by the courts and tolerated by the public …

Definition of incidental adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. incidental (to something) happening in connection with something else, but not as important as it, or not intended. …

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the word incidental, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Definition of incidental. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025 in•ci•den•tal /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/ adj. likely to happen in an unplanned manner: Incidental expenses were paid for by his …

If one thing is incidental to another, it is less important than the other thing or is not a major part of it.

Dec 24, 2025 · Loosely associated; of limited relevance except indirectly; only accidentally related. That character, though colorful, is incidental to the overall plot. Existing tangentially, being a byproduct, a …