Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective circumstantial differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of circumstantial are detailed, minute, and particular. While all these words 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

When could detailed be used to replace circumstantial?

The meanings of detailed and circumstantial largely overlap; however, detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.

a detailed analysis of the event

When is minute a more appropriate choice than circumstantial?

In some situations, the words minute and circumstantial are roughly equivalent. However, minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.

a minute examination of a fossil

When can particular be used instead of circumstantial?

The synonyms particular and circumstantial are sometimes interchangeable, but particular implies a precise attention to every detail.

a particular description of the scene of the crime

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circumstantial In 2020, Havertz joined Chelsea in a circumstantial transfer. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 2 July 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for circumstantial 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumstantial
Adjective
  • Skip to the current day and supercomputers are performing a nearly unfathomable number of calculations daily to produce highly detailed weather forecasts many days into the future around the globe.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
  • For example, an e-commerce platform may need more detailed product feedback to enhance recommendations.
    Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • In interviews with CalMatters, representatives for all three utilities said the process in place to oversee wildfire spending at the utilities commission was robust and thorough.
    CalMatters, The Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Schumer has largely refrained from direct confrontations over Trump's nominees, opting instead to press for thorough vetting and FBI background checks.
    Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The fields of law and insurance are extremely complicated for the layperson, with documents full of terms and concepts that may as well be a foreign language to those unfamiliar with them.
    Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
  • This week will be full of economic releases ahead of the slower Christmas holiday week.
    Bill Stone, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near circumstantial

Cite this Entry

“Circumstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumstantial. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on circumstantial

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