Sample sentences for TANGENTIAL

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Definition

touching the current issue, but with minor or no relevance

In math, tangential means touching at only a single point.

We didn't learn a lot, but her tangential remarks were entertaining.

tangential = touching the current issue, but with minor or no relevance

An outline helps a speaker avoid omissions and tangential excursions.
It was difficult to keep him from going off on a tangent.
There's only the slightest tangent with the Escher's work from which it gets its title.
Alertness to tangential aspects of problems can help scientists to postulate significance that otherwise would be missed.
It is called "tangential velocity" because the object whose velocity is being measured is always tangent to the circle.
She was tangential with her topics, and her hands gesticulated wildly, flying up with a nervousness that wasn't like her at all.
Khaled Hosseini -- A Thousand Splendid Suns

tangential = touching the current issue, but with minor or no relevance

There the text went off on a tangent about how Bram Stoker had actually been...
P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast -- Betrayed

tangent = a different subject from the main thing being discussed before and after the different subject discussion (although it is a different subject, it does touch upon or connect to the main subject in some way)

... "And anyway," Delia continued, ignoring this tangent, "they have strict rules about service vehicles up here by the garden."
Sarah Dessen -- The Truth About Forever

tangent = something that touched the current issue, but with minor or no relevance

She went off at a tangent "It was nice of Gareth to go against his brothers."
T. H. White -- The Once and Future King
While they are young we find them always shooting off at a tangent.
C.S. Lewis -- The Screwtape Letters
Alec, who had been face's parabatai long enough to have learned to ignore conversational tangents, said, "Magnus and I are okay, I guess.
Cassandra Clare -- City of Lost Souls
We were watching the patterns hitting the water, and Si started claiming the ducks like he always does and going off on one of his long tangents.
Willie & Korie Robertson -- The Duck Commander Family
In school, they were studying Homer, tangents, tonal systems, Dred Scott, and finger whorls.
Laurie Halse Anderson -- The Impossible Knife of Memory
I like taking a recipe and, you know, going off on a tangent to see what happens.
Jodi Picoult -- Nineteen Minutes
That would be a tangent from our main conversation, which is about all the phases of the plan.
Neal Stephenson -- Snow Crash
Even, like, tangentially.
Gillian Flynn -- Gone Girl
This was the dark tangent in every man's belly, the sickness, the coldness, the mercilessness, the lust to cause pain or fear through self-power.
John Howard Griffin -- Black Like Me
At this point I'm an expert at going along with her tangents.
Katja Millay -- The Sea of Tranquility
"Let's see, the tangent of forty degrees is about point eight-four.
Homer Hickam -- October Sky

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