Incidentally vs. by the way

Question

Could someone please explain if I can use "incidentally" and "by the way" just as synonyms? Are these words equal in their meaning or is there some shadows of them and they can not always replace each other? Thank you for your explanation in advance.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

As a sentence adverb (i.e. modifying the whole rest of the sentence), I think they are essentially synonymous, Kedra, with 'incidentally' more formal: Incidentally / By the way, I met my ex-wife on the train yesterday.

As an adverb of more limited range, only 'incidentally' will do, I think: He was only incidentally involved in that ménage à trois.

Kedra · Answer

I guess I got the idea! Thank you, Mister Micawber!

ElevenTattic · Answer

They can't be exactly synonymous, in a sentence like:

"By the way, what was your home address?"

You can't use "incidentally" here.

Kedra · Answer

Hi, ElevenTattic! Yes, I thought so, thanks!

Mister Micawber · Answer

Incidentally, what was your home address?

You can't use "incidentally" here.

Of course we can-- it is unremarkably natural.

Kedra · Answer

As a non-native speaker, I would not think I can use it in that type of phrase... But now I am a bit at a loss <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>. I did understand the meaning in "menage a trois" example, but not sure about "Incidentally, what's your home address?" and "By the way, what's your home address?".

Seloc@n · Answer

thanks for dear comments.

Mister Micawber · Answer

"Incidentally, what's your home address?" and "By the way, what's your home address?".

All I can say, Kedra, is that these to me are synonymous; take it or leave it.

Kedra · Answer

Mister Micawber, thank you for your reply, I value your opinion very much! All you suggested/corrected earlier for me has been always right. If my doubts offended you, accept my apologies, I did not mean to sound like that. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/9.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/9.gif' alt='Emotion: crying'/> I did got the reply to my initial question.

Anonymous · Answer

Formality (as mentioned here before) and inference have a lot to do with the distinction between these where they can otherwise be synonymous.

By the way can be used more broadly, and incidentally is more precise. By the way can be used as an aside for something totally unrelated, like in discussing X, you were reminded of question Y which has nothing whatsoever to do with X but which occurred by chance in the discussion.

Incidentally, often refers to something tangential to the previous discussion - where X is being discussed and point Y is brought up because it is either something that came up in the course of events, or deserving consideration of the topic.

Like with incidental expenses, these are related somehow to the business at hand (even if tangentially, like meals and entertaining expenses which have little, but something to do with the business).

Something more on the lines of by-the-way would be while making a purchase of an incidental expense, a person remembered that they needed some groceries - totally unrelated to the business, but in walking through the convenience store stumbled upon something that was missing from their cabinet at home.

The above example is illustrative only as a sentence could be written using incidentally to describe that situation. The point is that incidental implies some vague connection to the previous words. By the way can have that meaning, but can also be used as a totally disjointed aside as in something that the speaker was reminded of by chance.

Incidentally vs. by the way

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions