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

3

: marked by careful attention to detail : abounding in factual details

a circumstantial account of the fight

4

: ceremonial

the circumstantial splendor of the coronation

circumstantiality

ˌsər-kəm-ˌstan(t)-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

circumstantially

ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• blow-by-blow
• detailed
• elaborate
• full
• minute
• particular
• particularized
• thorough

Choose the Right Synonym for circumstantial

circumstantial, minute, particular, detailed mean dealing with a matter fully and usually point by point.

circumstantial implies fullness of detail that fixes something described in time and space.

a circumstantial account of our visit

minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.

a minute examination of a fossil

particular implies a precise attention to every detail.

a particular description of the scene of the crime

detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.

a detailed analysis of the event

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

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

In Montana the group of us that had become a circumstantial trail family rolled along and gradually picked up other hikers: Quickham, Smokey, and finally Recon. —Jac Mitchell, Outdoor Life, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see circumstance

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing circumstantial

• circumstantial evidence

Kids 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

circumstantially

-ˈstanch-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

circumstantial

adjective

cir·​cum·​stan·​tial ˌsər-kəm-ˈstan-chəl 

: belonging to, consisting in, or dependent on circumstances

circumstantially adverb