as an aside
In passing, incidentally
As an aside introduces a digression or parenthetical remark—something tangential to the main point: As an aside, I should mention that the building has no elevator.
The phrase signals that what follows is secondary information, a brief detour before returning to the main thread of conversation.
Spoken comment or note
- commentBrief stated opinion
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- mentionBrief verbal acknowledgment
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
quip · afterthought · whisper · murmur · offhand · by the way · incidentally · confession
Minor and unplanned
- supplementaryServing to complete
- nonessentialNot required or needed
- bracketedEnclosed by paired marks
- subordinateOne lower in rank
peripheral · secondary · ancillary · tangential · extraneous · inessential · qualifying · explanatory
Line touching curve once
- diversionRedirection of attention
- excursusExtended tangential passage
- departureAct of going away
- deviationDeparture from expected path
detour · sidetrack · ramble · meander · segue · parenthesis · sidebar · interpolation
Dramatic speech to oneself
- monologueUninterrupted solo address
- stage whisperLoud whisper for spectators
- sotto voceIn an undertone
- fourth wallInvisible stage-audience barrier
audience · confidential · dramatic irony · Shakespearean · Greek chorus · direct address · breaking character · conspiratorial
remark
Spoken comment or note
- commentBrief stated opinion
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- mentionBrief verbal acknowledgment
interjection · quip · afterthought · whisper · murmur · offhand · by the way · incidentally · confession · disclosure
incidental
Minor and unplanned
- supplementaryServing to complete
- nonessentialNot required or needed
- bracketedEnclosed by paired marks
subordinate · peripheral · secondary · ancillary · tangential · extraneous · inessential · qualifying · explanatory · inserted
tangent
Line touching curve once
deviation · detour · sidetrack · ramble · meander · segue · parenthesis · sidebar · interpolation · interlude
soliloquy
Dramatic speech to oneself
- monologueUninterrupted solo address
- stage whisperLoud whisper for spectators
- sotto voceIn an undertone
fourth wall · audience · confidential · dramatic irony · Shakespearean · Greek chorus · direct address · breaking character · conspiratorial
- by the wayincidentally, apropos, tangentially, parenthetically, in passing
as an asidedirectly
Without intermediary steps
to the point · centrally · front and center · principally · fundamentally
as an asidedirectly
Without intermediary steps
openly · publicly · on the record · forthrightly · straight out
aside, side, sided, sides, siding, sidelong, beside, besides, alongside