You use incidentally to introduce a point which is not directly relevant to what you are saying, often a question or extra information that you have just thought of.
'I didn't ask you to come. Incidentally, why have you come?'
The tower, incidentally, dates from the twelfth century.
Synonyms: by the way, in passing, en passant, parenthetically More Synonyms of incidentally
2. adverb [ADVERB with verb]
If something occurs only incidentally, it is less important than another thing or is not a major part of it.
The letter mentioned my great-aunt and uncle only incidentally.
More Synonyms of incidentally
incidentally in British English
(ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəlɪ)
adverb
1.
as a subordinate or chance occurrence
2. (sentence modifier)
by the way
incidentally in American English
(ˌɪnsəˈdɛntəli; ˌɪnsəˈdɛntli)
adverb
1.
in an incidental manner; as something less important but associated
2.
as a new but related point; by the way
Examples of 'incidentally' in a sentence
incidentally
Sport is only incidentally entertaining.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But, incidentally and almost by accident, that is probably wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Two: sport is not entertainment, but is often incidentally entertaining.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Blackpool, incidentally, now lead them by three points with a game in hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This is not just gossip, incidentally; he publishes this detail in the programme.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other areas, home ownership has emerged almost incidentally within a world of work and social and kinship networks that remain deeply embedded in the locality.
Forrest, Ray & Murie, Alan & Williams, Peter Home-ownership - differentiation and fragmentation (1990)
Incidentally it is now over two weeks since I heard from Alec.
Joan Rice Sand In My Shoes: Wartime Diaries of a WAAF (2006)
In other languages
incidentally
British English: incidentally ADVERB
You use incidentally to introduce a point which is not directly relevant to what you are saying.
'I didn't ask you to come. Incidentally, why have you come?'
American English: incidentally
Brazilian Portuguese: a propósito
Chinese: 顺便说及地
European Spanish: por cierto
French: à propos
German: übrigens
Italian: tra parentesi
Japanese: ところで
Korean: 덧붙여 말하자면
European Portuguese: a propósito
Latin American Spanish: por cierto
Chinese translation of 'incidentally'
incidentally
(ɪnsɪˈdɛntəlɪ)
adv
(= by the way) 顺(順)便提一句 (shùnbiàn tí yī jù)
1 (adverb)
The tower, incidentally, dates from the twelfth century.
Synonyms
by the way
By the way, how did your seminar go?
in passing
She only mentioned you in passing.
en passant
He advised her, en passant, that she should see a doctor.
parenthetically
This brings us, parenthetically, to another question.
by the bye
2 (adverb)
In her denunciation, she incidentally shed some light on another mystery.
Synonyms
accidentally
The door cannot be opened accidentally.
casually
by chance
coincidentally
fortuitously
by happenstance
Additional synonyms
in the sense of en passant
Definition
in passing
He advised her, en passant, that she should see a doctor.
Synonyms
in passing,
by the way,
incidentally,
parenthetically,
by the bye
in the sense of in passing
Definition
briefly and without going into detail
She only mentioned you in passing.
Synonyms
incidentally,
on the way,
by the way,
accidentally,
en passant,
by the bye
in the sense of parenthetically
This brings us, parenthetically, to another question.