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Occasional vs Incidentally - What's the difference?

occasional | incidentally |

As an adjective occasional

is occurring or appearing irregularly from time to time.

As an adverb incidentally is

(manner) in an incidental manner; not of central or critical importance.

occasional

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Occurring or appearing irregularly from time to time.
  • Not very often.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=7 citation , passage=The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.}}
  • *
  • Created for a specific occasion.
  • Intended for use as the occasion requires.
  • Acting in the indicated role from time to time.

    • Derived terms

    {{der3, occasionally , occasional table}}

    incidentally

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (manner) In an incidental manner; not of central or critical importance.
    • The book discussed the subject, but only incidentally .
  • By chance; in an unplanned way.
  • (speech act, conjunctive) Parenthetically, by the way.
    • Incidentally , did you hear anything new from your brother yesterday?

    Synonyms

    apropos, as a matter of fact, by the way

    Antonyms

    * (in an incidental manner) inevitably, certainly