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 But Sawyer held off on adding the amendment to House Bill 1094, a tangential bill requiring an audit of NCDOT’s ferry division. — Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for tangential

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tangential

Adjective

The shift may have been good for business, but users often lamented that lack of control, complaining that the recommendation algorithms could send them down rabbit holes of irrelevant or even toxic content.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO predicts that advances in robotics and space exploration could eventually make conventional money irrelevant.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

In any group of clouds, the one with the highest velocity as seen from Earth will be the one lying closest to a tangent point along its orbit around the galaxy.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
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

Definition of tangent

Adjective

When viewers focus on one gear, the other, as seen through peripheral vision, appears to spin faster — though both are moving at the same speed.

— Margaret Hetherman, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
But because of my peripheral association with the Exorcist reissue, people are now taking my phone calls.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of peripheral

Browse Nearby Words

tangent

tangential

tangentially

See all Nearby Words

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Style

“Tangential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tangential. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tangential

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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