circumstantial
adjective
cir·cum·stan·tial
ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan(t)-shəl 
1
: belonging to, consisting in, or dependent on circumstances
a circumstantial case
circumstantial factors
circumstantial evidence
2
: pertinent but not essential : incidental
Revolutions usually happen for both structural and circumstantial reasons.—
A. M. S. Aly
A. M. S. Aly3
: marked by careful attention to detail : abounding in factual details
a circumstantial account of the fight
4
: ceremonial
the circumstantial splendor of the coronation
Synonyms
Examples of circumstantial in a Sentence
The evidence is purely circumstantial.
The case against him is circumstantial.
a circumstantial account of the meeting
Recent Examples on the Web
Bateson was never charged with those crimes, and the connection remains circumstantial and speculative.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2024
The police had circumstantial information but little concrete evidence tying her husband to the slayings.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
His case for Todd, an early Bitcoin project contributor who was just 23 when Satoshi wrote the project's whitepaper, is highly circumstantial.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
Joplin’s defense team argued that the prosecution’s case was entirely circumstantial, and that Garcia himself administered the morphine that took his life.
—Xander Samaras, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circumstantial 
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Katie Rife, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2024
The police had circumstantial information but little concrete evidence tying her husband to the slayings.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
His case for Todd, an early Bitcoin project contributor who was just 23 when Satoshi wrote the project's whitepaper, is highly circumstantial.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
Joplin’s defense team argued that the prosecution’s case was entirely circumstantial, and that Garcia himself administered the morphine that took his life.
—Xander Samaras, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for circumstantial
Dictionary Entries Near circumstantial
Cite this Entry
“Circumstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circumstantial. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
circumstantial
adjective
cir·cum·stan·tial
ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan-chəl
1
: consisting of, relating to, or depending on circumstances
circumstantial evidence
2
: containing full details
a circumstantial account of what happened
Legal Definition
circumstantial
adjective
cir·cum·stan·tial
ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan-chəl
: belonging to, consisting in, or dependent on circumstances
circumstantially
adverb
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