TANGENTIAL Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

tangential

adjective

Definition of tangential

as in irrelevant

having little to do with the matter at hand Your point is tangential to the main objective of this meeting so please save it for later.

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 tangential Both that experience and his tangential involvement in the Amanda-West drama has affected his priorities going into the upcoming season, both in his love life and his friendships. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 June 2026 Other undisclosed connections are more tangential. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 15 June 2026 The Houthis made a similar threat during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and killed at least nine mariners and sank four ships in over 100 attacks, often targeting vessels with tangential or no ties to Israel. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 There have been a few tangential PigPen sightings in the state before now. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tangential

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangential

Adjective

But according to Adobe’s recent research, as many as half of customers will disengage with a brand if promotions feel irrelevant or mistimed.

— Sharat Potharaju, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
This view has not been heard in the dizzying din of the emotional outburst and fearmongering of the side show and irrelevant conversation about transwomen in sports inexplicably occurring in the context of the WNBA.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

That means mathematicians can approximate these rotations with a straight line that touches the circle at just one point — a tangent line.

— Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 3 Dec. 2025
The slope, or steepness, of the tangent line measures how quickly the function is changing at that point.

— Solomon Adams, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2025

Definition of tangent

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

Browse Nearby Words

tangent

tangential

tangentially

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Style

“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangential. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of tangential

adjective

Example Sentences

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