WordLens

tangential

1 of 1adjective
/tænˈdʒɛnʃəl/
Forms:more tangential,most tangential
1

not or barely relevant to something

  • His comments about vacation plans were tangential to the discussion on budget cuts.
  • The speaker’s tangential remarks diverted the conversation away from the main topic.
  • The article had some tangential information that was unrelated to the central thesis.
  • The novel’s tangential subplots sometimes distracted from the main storyline.
  • His tangential observations during the meeting were interesting but not relevant to the agenda.
Synonyms:
2

referring to a line or motion that just touches the surface of an object at a single point

  • As the wheel rotated, he observed its tangential movement at the outer edge.
  • The light's tangential approach created a unique reflection on the mirror.