ANCILLARY Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

ancillary

adjective

Definition of ancillary

as in secondary

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ancillary However, this seemingly ancillary drama is central to the film’s mission statement, as an exposé of power and its suppression of truth. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 July 2026 Ultimately, Curtis sees potential for league’s ancillary territories to capitalize on the World Cup. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026 Across Africa, governments have spent decades announcing ports without thinking about connecting railways, highways without paved feeder roads, and pipelines without ancillary terminals. — Bright Simons, semafor.com, 13 July 2026 The original movie from 20 or 30 years earlier suddenly gets a surge of nostalgic interest on streaming and it, in turn, fuels the ancillary revenue even if the box office itself is a little soft. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ancillary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancillary

Adjective

Prunty brings speed to the secondary that perhaps only Christian Gonzalez can match and has a good argument to make the roster as a developmental outside corner.

— Chad Graff, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, uniting the US, Japan, Australia, and India, is explicitly built to mobilize private capital behind secondary supply.

— Rob Kaplan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of secondary

Adjective

New features include more classrooms and science labs, an auxiliary gym, changing rooms, collaborative learning spaces and two gender-neutral restrooms.

— Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Robbie Connolly is going to go from auxiliary guitar to lead guitar.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of auxiliary

Adjective

Though Overton and Kennedy have worked closely on a range of health priorities, some people familiar with the dynamic questioned how the two would mesh if Overton moves from the White House to an FDA role that is technically subordinate to Kennedy.

— Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
These reforms, however, remain embedded in a judiciary that is subordinate to Communist Party leadership.

— Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of subordinate

Adjective

The institute, alert to what was coming, had already moved its financial resources out of the country and opened a subsidiary office in Geneva.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
The participation exemption can eliminate corporate tax on the sale of subsidiary shares at exit entirely.

— Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

Definition of subsidiary

Adjective

Vanderbosch recommends picking a patch of sky to focus on until a quick, bright streak passes by — even in your peripheral vision — and to avoid looking at your phone.

— Adithi Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Even in the third-person narration of Call of the Wild the dramatis personae of eccentric, infighting dogs overshadows the flat and peripheral human characters until Thornton appears.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of peripheral

Adjective

In 2024, Purja became the fastest person to summit all 14 of the peaks without supplementary oxygen.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Coverage is provided by Employees’ Health Insurance and National Health Insurance schemes; private insurance only plays a supplementary role.

— Runchana Pongsaparn, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Definition of supplementary

Adjective

For two weeks last summer, Jack Strand earned supplemental income through a side job as a painter.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Chicago will move ahead with its full $260 million supplemental pension payment, Mayor Brandon Johnson promised the city’s investors yesterday.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of supplemental

Adjective

The Storm Prediction Center has placed all the Kansas City forecast area under a marginal risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe storms.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
For an executive whose marginal rate is well above 22%, that gap between what's withheld and what's owed becomes a five- or six-figure surprise.

— Meredith Moore, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of marginal

Browse Nearby Words

ancients

ancillary

androgynous

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ancillary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancillary. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ancillary

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on ancillary

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes