The difference between Incidental and Necessary
When used as nouns, incidental means minor items, not further defined. incidental expense, whereas necessary means a place to do the "necessary" business of urination and defecation: an outhouse or lavatory.
When used as adjectives, incidental means loosely associated, whereas necessary means required, essential, whether logically inescapable or needed in order to achieve a desired result or avoid some penalty.
check bellow for the other definitions of Incidental and Necessary
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Incidental as an adjective:
Loosely associated; existing as a byproduct, tangent, or accident; being a likely consequence.
Examples:
"That character, though colorful, is incidental to the overall plot."
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Incidental as an adjective:
Occurring by chance
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Incidental as an adjective (physics, of radiation):
Entering or approaching, prior to reflection (more frequently incident).
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Incidental as a noun:
Minor items, not further defined. Incidental expense.
Examples:
"She's costing us a lot in incidentals."
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Incidental as a noun:
Something that is incidental.
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Necessary as an adjective:
Required, essential, whether logically inescapable or needed in order to achieve a desired result or avoid some penalty.
Examples:
"Although I wished to think that all was false, it was yet [[necessary]] that that I, who thus thought, must in some sense exist."
"It is absolutely [[necessary]] that you call and confirm your appointment."
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Necessary as an adjective:
Unavoidable, inevitable.
Examples:
"If it is absolutely [[necessary]] to use public computers, you should plan ahead and forward your e-mail to a temporary, disposable account."
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Necessary as an adjective (obsolete):
Determined, involuntary: acting from compulsion rather than free will.
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Necessary as a noun (UK, archaic, _, euphemism, usually with the definite article):
A place to do the "necessary" business of urination and defecation: an outhouse or lavatory.