How to pronounce incidental
Say it like in-sih-DEN-tul. Incidental has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce incidental. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- sih
- DEN
- tul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Incidental pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- sihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- DENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of incidental
American and British speakers say incidental in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/ in the US and /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-sih-DEN-tul.
What does incidental mean?
- Loosely associated; of limited relevance except indirectly; only accidentally related.“That character, though colorful, is incidental to the overall plot.”
- Existing tangentially, being a byproduct, a tangent, or a likely consequence.“Injuries are incidental to contact sports: they're going to happen.”
- Occurring by chance.
- Minor items, not further defined. Incidental expense.“She's costing us a lot in incidentals.”
- Something that is incidental.
Where does incidental come from?
From incident + -al.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with incidental
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of incidental.
- mental
- environmental
- fundamental
- experimental
- gentle
- rental
- continental
- instrumental
- accidental
- developmental
Questions about saying incidental
How do you pronounce incidental?
Say in-sih-DEN-tul. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/. In British English it is /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in incidental?
Incidental has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEN). Broken into parts: in · sih · DEN · tul.
Do Americans and Brits say incidental the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/ and the British form is /ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.