as in detailed
including many small descriptive features
the circumstantial account of his surgery told us more than we really wanted to know about the stomach
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Recent Examples of circumstantial
Just happened to be circumstantial.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
The Patriots’ philosophy is also circumstantial now, since its influences are varied.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Charlie, home to care for his ailing father after having emigrated to the States some years before, is likewise underdeveloped beyond that circumstantial detail.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The move makes logical and circumstantial sense for all parties, but there is an important void for Douglas Luiz to fill.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumstantial
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
The Patriots’ philosophy is also circumstantial now, since its influences are varied.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Charlie, home to care for his ailing father after having emigrated to the States some years before, is likewise underdeveloped beyond that circumstantial detail.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The move makes logical and circumstantial sense for all parties, but there is an important void for Douglas Luiz to fill.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumstantial
Adjective
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More smart scales are now including a handlebar to provide detailed insights into fat and muscle distribution across different parts of the body.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
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The detailed biographies of every correspondent make, in themselves, a whole picture of the cultural and political life of the early twentieth century.—
Hermione Lee,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Those needs are likely to mean a more thorough dive into the transfer portal and additional exploration of the Canadian major junior leagues — two areas where Motzko’s program did not play very often.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
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Not just a quick pass with a vacuum, but a real, thorough clean — especially when the seasons change.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The car was full of suitcases, and his father was sitting in the front seat, scrolling on his phone.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Hansen were launched Wednesday and, after spending a full day checking out the Orion spacecraft, the ship left Earth orbit Thursday and headed for the moon.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumstantial. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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