incidentally
As it happens
Incidentally introduces a remark that's related but secondary to the main topic—an aside or digression: Incidentally, I ran into your sister yesterday.
It can also mean by chance rather than by design: The discovery was made incidentally during routine testing.
The word signals that what follows isn't the main point but worth mentioning.
As an inserted aside
- tangentiallyIn a loosely related way
- asideBrief theatrical digression
- tangentLine touching curve once
- footnoteCitation at page bottom
afterthought · digression · interjection · excursus · detour · departure · sidetrack · meandering
Without intent or design
- fortuitouslyBy lucky accident
- serendipitouslyBy pleasant surprise
- unexpectedlyWithout prior indication
- inadvertentlyWithout conscious intention
unintentionally · unwittingly · randomly · spontaneously · unforeseen · happenstance · fluke · chance
parenthetically
As an inserted aside
- tangentiallyIn a loosely related way
- asideBrief theatrical digression
- tangentLine touching curve once
footnote · afterthought · digression · interjection · excursus · detour · departure · sidetrack · meandering · discursive
accidentally
Without intent or design
- fortuitouslyBy lucky accident
- serendipitouslyBy pleasant surprise
- unexpectedlyWithout prior indication
inadvertently · unintentionally · unwittingly · randomly · spontaneously · unforeseen · happenstance · fluke · chance · luck
- sentence adverbsobviously, certainly, probably, possibly, perhaps
- by the wayaside, apropos, tangentially, parenthetically, in passing
- interjectionsah, hey, aha, sheesh, oh
- sentence startersoddly, curiously, strangely, surprisingly, remarkably
- attention-gettersalert, hey, look, listen, psst
- connectivesand, or, but, because, nor
incidentallydeliberately
Done with intention
intentionally · purposely · on purpose · by design · consciously
incidentallycrucially
In a decisive manner
importantly · essentially · fundamentally · centrally · significantly
- incidental expensesMinor unbudgeted costs
- incidental musicAccompanying theatrical composition