tangentially

[ tan-jen-shuh-lee ]

adverb

1. in a way that barely touches or involves someone or something:

   The subject’s tempestuous first marriage is only tangentially dealt with in the biography.

2. in a way that is only slightly related or relevant:

   The novel dedicates a huge amount of space to characters and events that are, at most, tangentially connected to the main plot.

3. in a divergent or digressive way:

   Whether or not this is easier, as I have tangentially mentioned, is in fact a difficult question.

Other Words From

• non·tan·gen·tial·ly adverb
• un·tan·gen·tial·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangentially¹

tangential ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Seek out events in your industry, or things that are tangentially related.

From Search Engine Watch

This issue came up tangentially in a Supreme Court case that had nothing to do with bookselling.

From Washington Post

Those excess deaths track with the surges in coronavirus infections, but some portion of the total may be from other factors tangentially related to the pandemic response, such as increased drug overdoses.

From Washington Post

Since modern conspiracy theories are relatively omnivorous, even tangential elements such as the Sharpiegate claim could be folded into this broader story.

From Popular-Science

If candidates prefer to answer questions with tangential preplanned talking points instead of actually debating, then perhaps individual town halls are a better fit.

From Fortune

But DARPA has learned that wavefronts move tangentially along walls as well.

From The Daily Beast

At Davos, the issue is tangentially on the agenda, with sessions on youth unemployment.

From The Daily Beast

The internal language and logic of the markets is related to what is going on in the real world, but right now only tangentially.

From The Daily Beast

Its adhesion being overcome in the least possible degree, it moves in the same degree tangentially.

From Project Gutenberg

The appendage should have the appearance of flowing smoothly and, if possible, tangentially from the primary mass.

From Project Gutenberg

The other elements of the wood shrink radially and tangentially, but almost none lengthwise or vertically as applied to the tree.

From Project Gutenberg

Folding of the rocks resulted from the operation of great compressive forces acting tangentially to the figure of the earth.

From Project Gutenberg

The fusees are fixed obliquely and not tangentially to their peripheries.

From Project Gutenberg